A suspect arrested last week following a bomb scare in Bellville, Cape Town is expected to appear in court on Monday.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) said a multi-disciplinary team comprising of the Hawks’ Crimes Against The State, Western Cape Crime Intelligence, the Special Task Force and SAPS Bomb Disposal Unit arrested the suspect on Friday, November 15.
The 49-year-old faces charges of a bomb threat and Contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorism and Related Activities Act.
The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi said the bomb threat was made at three different locations.
“On Monday, November 11, 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. The same threat was later made telephonically to the Road Traffic Emergency toll-free number on the same day,” Vukubi said.
The investigation by the Hawks' team revealed a cell phone number which was used in the commission of the offence and thereafter placed in a different handset.
“A suspect was subsequently identified and a warrant of arrest was issued. On Friday, November 15, 2024, a search and seizure operation was conducted in Mamre where several evidential materials were seized. The suspect will appear at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on November 18, 2024,” Vukubi said.
Head of the Hawks in the Western Cape, Major General Mathipa Makgato sent a stern warning against these kinds of reckless and negligence acts by members of the public and said police would ensure perpetrators face the full might of the law.