How former Miss SA finalist Bryoni Govender was robbed of R200k while vacationing in Austria

What was meant to be a relaxing European getaway turned into a nightmare for former Miss South Africa finalist Bryoni Govender.

Govender, who was first runner-up at Miss SA 2023, recently revealed that she was robbed of valuables worth more than R200 000 while on holiday in Vienna, Austria. 

The incident happened while she was travelling with her boyfriend, Serbian footballer Samir Nurković, and, according to her, the break-in was anything but random.

According to reports, Govender shared the experience on her Instagram stories, which have since been deleted. She explained that there were no signs of forced entry at the apartment where they were staying.

That detail raised red flags for her. She believes whoever carried out the theft knew exactly what they were doing, from how to access the property to which items were worth taking.

“There was no sign of forced entry. Whoever did this knew the access code and understood exactly how the door worked. Nearly all of our valuable belongings were taken, well over €10,000 in total (around R200 000),” she said.

Among the items taken were a Louis Vuitton handbag, her wallet with bank cards, over €1,500 in cash, gold jewellery, an iPad Pro with its pencil, a Canon camera and lenses, AirPods, fitness bands and multiple backpacks. Altogether, the stolen goods amounted to well over €10,000.

What left her shaken was how personal the theft felt. Beyond electronics and luxury items, the thieves also took her clothes, make-up and underwear. 

“What made it even harder to process was that this wasn’t random. We were targeted and planned against. Almost everything taken was mine, right down to personal items like underwear, makeup, and clothes, which made the violation feel deeply personal and unsettling,” Govender added.

The 2024 Miss Supranational Africa title holder also shared that the experience challenged the idea that certain destinations are completely safe. 

According to her, Vienna is often ranked among the world’s safest cities, yet she says the incident was a reminder that crime exists everywhere. To conclude, she added that people are always watching, both online and in real life, waiting for just the right moment.

 “If there’s a lesson in all of this, it’s that crime exists everywhere, even in cities considered among the safest in the world. People are watching, both online and in real life, waiting for the right moment. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side."