Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has confirmed that his office is working closely with police to investigate a bomb threat made against the Al-Azhar Mosque in District Six, describing the incident as a disturbing act of intimidation aimed at undermining the city’s tradition of religious tolerance.
The threat, delivered via cellphone on May 4, is under active investigation by the South African Police Service, with no arrests reported as of Wednesday.
“I condemn the sinister motives behind this threatening message,” Hill-Lewis said in a statement. “Cape Town is a city of peace-loving people, where differences of faith and opinion are expressed loudly and fully, but always peacefully.”
He reaffirmed Cape Town’s reputation as a city where people of all faiths have long coexisted harmoniously. “For generations, Capetonians of every faith and creed have lived side-by-side and always show kindness, unity, and generosity towards one another,” he said. “Let us all commit to protecting and defending the best of that history.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the incident and the ongoing investigation. While no suspects have been arrested, the City has activated additional resources to support law enforcement.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said the City’s Safety and Security Investigative Unit (SSIU) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) teams have been tasked to assist the police through the City’s Safer Places of Worship initiative.
“I have referred this incident to DRM and the SSIU in terms of our joint Safer Places of Worship project,” said Smith.
Hill-Lewis noted that this was not the first such incident in recent months, referencing an attack in December 2024 when an explosive device was thrown over the front wall of the Jewish Community Centre on Hatfield Street in the Cape Town CBD.
“We call on the police to prioritise these investigations to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” the mayor added.