English Story

南非机场暴露安全隐患

South African journalists say they have smuggled dangerous items onto domestic flights in hand luggage ahead of next month's football World Cup.

南非新闻记者称,世界杯足球赛下月即将开赛,他们已通过手提行李的方式将危险品带入国内航班。

South Africa has upgraded its airports for the World Cup
South Africa has upgraded its airports for the World Cup

The journalist behind the report told the BBC the items included knives, syringes(鸣管) , screwdrivers(螺丝刀) and razors(剃须刀) .

Mandy Weiner said security was "porous(能渗透的,有气孔的) ", as banned items had got onto more than half the flights targeted.

But an airport security spokesperson said both local and international standards were being met.

As part of the investigation carried out by South Africa's Eyewitness News, 10 planes departing from major tourist hubs in South Africa were targeted over three months.

Ms Weiner explained that on one occasion a journalist tried to smuggle "harmless products masquerading as(化妆成,假装成) explosives."

"We labelled them as two products which, if combined, could bring down a plane," she said.

These products - a green liquid and salt - were confiscated(充公,没收) but Ms Weiner says the officials did not realise they could be dangerous.

Solomon Makgale from the Airports Company Security of South Africa told the BBC that airport security in South Africa is "highly regulated".

He explained that new x-ray machines and metal detectors(金属探测器) had been bought to improve security.

"On a daily basis(每天) there's over 700 prohibited items that we detect," he said.

Some 350,000 people are expected to visit South Africa for the World Cup, which is being held in Africa for the first time and starts on 11 June.