Mumbai attacks 'a warning'
2008-11-27 22:53
Erika Gibson
Mumbai - "Mumbai is in a state of shock."
This is how Rehaan Ebrahim, South Africa's political vice-consul in Mumbai, summarised the situation in that city on Thursday.
"The attacks were totally unexpected. There has never been anything on this scale. There were bombs before - but this time people were attacked point-blank and abducted."
Ebrahim said he was at home at about 22:00 on Wednesday evening, about 4km from the Taj Mahal Hotel, when he heard the first explosions.
"I thought it was the sound of thunder, but then two more explosions followed. Shortly afterwards my phone rang and then I knew it was a terror attack.
"Bomb explosions in India are usually low-intensity explosions merely intended to draw attention.
"The latest events are clearly a warning."
Ebrahim and his staff struggled for many hours to account for the approximately 50 South Africans who had been in Mumbai at the time of the attacks.
By late Thursday afternoon they became concerned for about four South African Airways (SAA) cabin crew for whom they could not account.
They were later found and are safe.
No South African killed or hurt
No South Africans were killed, injured or abducted.
On Thursday the Indian security forces stormed the hotels in their search for hostages. Six foreigners were among the more than 100 people that had died.
"We moved the South Africans in the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi to other hotels.
"The problem is that they had to flee without their travel documents and have not been able to return to their original hotel rooms yet.
"We have asked them to first remain where they are. If necessary, we will issue emergency passports."
Ebrahim praised the South African security team who had helped to evacuate people from the Taj Mahal Hotel.
"If they hadn't done that, more people could easily have been injured."
On Thursday the streets were deserted. Schools, shops and embassies were closed while Westerners kept a low profile, staying at home or in their hotels.
"It's still really difficult to make sense of the attacks. The police are also keeping mum because they don't want to release information that could jeopardise their investigation.
"We hope everything will return to normal soon."
SAA said its scheduled flight to Mumbai would continue as usual.
The South African government has offered its condolences to the next of kin of people who had died in the attacks.
After earlier reports that two employees of the Reserve Bank were still missing, SARB spokesperson Samantha Henkeman confirmed that none of her colleagues were in India.
- Beeld