STEVEN MANN, Cape Town | Monday
THE recent spate of bombings in Cape Town had the potential to plunge the country into a state of unrest similar to that of Algeria, where 100000 people have died in civil unrest since 1992, Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete has warned.
His remarks, made at a parliamentary briefing for journalists and diplomats, knocked the bond market and weakened the rand.
Tshwete reiterrated that the vigilante group People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) were responsible for the bombings which have claimed the lives of three people, injured more than 100 and dented Cape Town’s reputation as a tourist destination.
“Our friends in Algeria have even intimated to us if we are not taking a bold stand we might soon find ourselves in a similar situation as one finds in Algeria today.”
Tshwete said possibility of the urban terror campaign spreading to other provinces could not be ruled out, and promised an increased security force presence in Cape Town to ensure the perpetrators were bought to book first.
Police have established that the last four bombs in Cape Town were made of fertilizer, but that they did not detonate properly.
“There is an attempt on the part of the bombers to improve the impact of their bombs,” Tshwete said. “Their choice of certain targets indicates a desire on the part of the bombers to maximize the impact of each detonation.”
Pagad is outraged that Tshwete has blamed it for the attacks, for which no-one has yet been convicted.
Pagad legal head Cassiem Parker said Tshwete and justice counterpart Penuel Maduna could be sued for making such unsubstantiated allegations.