A multi-disciplinary team effort has led to the arrest of a 49-year-old man in Mamre for Bomb Threat and Contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorism and Related Activities Act, reports Cape {town} Etc.
The suspect was arrested on Friday, 15 November, in connection with the recent bomb scare at a number of government buildings and the Bellville transport interchange on Monday, which disrupted operations near the taxi rank.
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‘On 11 November 2024, telephone calls were allegedly made to the Community Service Centre at the Bellville SAPS by an unknown male who threatened that explosive devices were placed at the Department of Water and Sanitation in Bellville, the Transnet Building in Bellville South and Bellville Taxi Rank,’ said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi in a statement.
‘The same threat was later made telephonically to the Road Traffic Emergency toll-free number on the same day.’
Vukubi added that an investigation was launched by the Hawks, who traced the cellphone number from a SIM card that was used in the commission of the offence. The SIM card was thereafter placed in a different handset.
‘A suspect was subsequently identified, and a warrant of arrest was issued,’ said Vukubi. ‘On Friday, 15 November 2024, a search and seizure operation was conducted in Mamre where several evidential materials were seized.’
The multi-disciplinary team comprised the Hawks’ Crimes Against The State, Western Cape Crime Intelligence, the Special Task Force and SAPS Bomb Disposal Unit.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 18 November 2024.
Commenting on the arrest, the Hawks Provincial Head, Major General Makgato, subsequently issued a stern warning ‘against these kinds of reckless and negligent acts by members of the public’. Makgato also warned that police will ensure that perpetrators face the full might of the law.
As per The Citizen, the City of Cape Town noted a 153% increase in prank calls to the Public Emergency Communication Centre in September.
With 1 679 incidents recorded at the centre in one weekend, 104 of these were prank calls.
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Picture: Adam Berry / Gallo Images
