- A 49-year-old man was arrested for making false bomb threats that led to the closure of Bellville taxi rank on Monday, 11 November 2024.
- The Hawks and other police agencies traced the suspect using a cellphone number linked to the threats and conducted a raid in Mamre.
- He is charged under the anti-terrorism act and will appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on 18 November.
Multiple police and security agencies acted together on Friday 15 November to arrest a man (49) for making the false bomb threat that led to the hours-long closure of the Bellville taxi rank on Monday this week.
In a press release, Hawks spokesperson, Lt. Col. Siyabulela Vukubi, says the multi-disciplinary team comprised of the Hawks’ Crimes Against The State team, Western Cape Crime Intelligence, the Special Task Force and SAPS Bomb Disposal Unit.The man is charged with contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorism and Related Activities Act, Act 33 of 2004.
“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,” Vukabi says.
“The same threat was later made telephonically to the Road Traffic Emergency toll-free number on the same day.”
The investigation by the Hawks’ team revealed a cellphone number used when making the threat. The sim card was placed in a different handset after the threat was made.
A suspect was identified and a warrant of arrest was issued. “On Friday, 15 November 2024, a search and seizure operation was conducted in Mamre where several evidential material was seized,” Vukubi said.
The suspect will appear at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday 18 November 2024.
The Hawks’ Provincial Head, Major General Makgato warned others “against these kinds of reckless and negligent acts by members of the public”.He said police will ensure that perpetrators “face the full might of the law.”
