The armed robbery of Pan African Parliament delegates outside a Midrand hotel is yet another embarrassment for President Jacob Zuma‚ the Congress of the People (Cope) said on Tuesday.

Police on Monday confirmed that delegates from the Cape Verde islands‚ Ethiopia‚ Ghana‚ Benin and Mozambique were relieved of personal belongings outside the entrance to a Protea Hotel on Friday night.

“The president bristles with resentment when the media reflects the extent of criminality that exists in South Africa‚” said Cope’s Dennis Bloem.

“Instead of confronting the issue‚ the president allows it to fester.       

“This damnable armed robbery…will again place South Africa under international spotlight for the worst of reasons.”

Bloem said that Zuma prescribes “sunshine journalism in the futile belief that good news will somehow eradicate crime‚ xenophobia‚ corruption and failed service delivery”.

“Denial is useless. No journalist seeks wilfully to report negatively on the country. Now that this highly publicised robbery has taken place‚ how will President Zuma handle the fallout?” asked Bloem.

“Will he attach blame to the honourable delegates or turn on the media once again for reporting the robbery?” Bloem added‚ in a reference to Zuma taking issue with the media for its reportage of the recent xenophobic attacks.

“He must leave the journalists to do their job.”