[imagesource:sajewishmuseum]

Cape Town’s Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has confirmed that the City’s Metro Police are lending a hand to SAPS in digging into a rather alarming incident—a supposed explosive device discovered at the Jewish Community Centre on Hatfield Street on 6 December 2024.

Hill-Lewis noted how that typical Wednesday took a turn when his office got a heads-up from SAPS that some alleged explosive device had been lobbed over the front wall of the Jewish Community Centre.

Since then, Cape Town Metro Police have teamed up with SAPS to comb through CCTV footage, trying to figure out what exactly this dodgy device might be. While the fine print of the device is still under wraps, the fact that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks)—yes, the big leagues—have swooped in shows this matter is being taken properly seriously, as Cape {town} Etc reports.

“We are fully supporting SAPS in their investigation, and our Safety & Security Information Management Services (SSIMS) are coordinating the City’s assistance,” said Hill-Lewis, emphasising that should the investigation confirm that the incident was an attempted attack on the Jewish Community Centre, it would be condemned in the ‘strongest possible terms.’

The mayor struck a defiant tone, reaffirming Cape Town’s deep-rooted legacy as a sanctuary for all faiths and cultures.

“Cape Town is a city of peace-loving people, where differences of faith and opinion are expressed loudly and fully, but always peacefully,” Hill-Lewis said. “Let us all commit ourselves to protecting and defending the best of that history.”

Adding to the sense of urgency, JP Smith, mayoral committee member for Safety and Security, emphasised the City’s reliance on cutting-edge safety measures to bolster investigations like this one.

“Through our investments in various safety technologies such as CCTV, Automatic Number Plate Recognition, gunfire detection, and eye-in-the-sky aerial surveillance, the City has been able to assist SAPS in recovering firearms, locating missing persons, and helping with investigations like this one,” said Smith.

The message was clear: Cape Town’s leadership is not only determined to get to the bottom of this troubling incident but also resolute in safeguarding the city as a space of unity.

As the investigation progresses, city officials and residents remain optimistic that the authorities will uncover the full details of the incident, preserving Cape Town’s reputation as a peaceful and inclusive city.

[source:ctetc]