Western Cape Man Jailed for Five Years Over Fake Bomb Threats to Skip Work
A 50-year-old Western Cape man who made a series of hoax bomb threats in order to avoid going to work has been sentenced to an effective five years in prison.
Bomb Threats Targeted Multiple Sites
According to IOL, Ferdinand Fortuin was sentenced in the Bellville Regional Court after pleading guilty to the charges.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) revealed that in November 2024, Fortuin called police claiming to have planted bombs at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Transnet offices, and the Bellville taxi rank.
“He gave police hours to evacuate the premises,” said NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
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Attempt to Avoid Work After Night of Drinking
According to the NPA, Fortuin made the threats on 11 November 2024 after a heavy night of drinking because he did not want to go to work. He left his Mamre home hoping roads to Bellville would be closed due to the scare. However, his plan failed, and he ended up working the entire day.
In his plea and sentencing agreement, Fortuin admitted to purchasing a cellphone from a drug user, which he used to make the hoax calls to the police and an emergency toll-free number. One of the threatened buildings was where he worked.
Mass Evacuations and Panic
The threats triggered a large-scale emergency response, with thousands of people evacuated from the targeted sites.
- 164 people were evacuated from the Department of Water and Sanitation offices on Voortrekker Road.
- 151 people were removed from the department’s Bellville South offices.
- 250 people were evacuated from the Transnet Park Building offices.
- 3,000 people were evacuated from the Bellville taxi rank, which was shut down along with surrounding roads, causing panic in the area.
The evacuations involved bomb disposal technicians, the K-9 Dog Unit with explosive detection dogs, and visible policing teams.
Charges and Sentence
Fortuin was charged with four counts of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA) and one count under the Explosives Act.
The NPA noted that the prescribed minimum sentence for such offences is 15 years’ imprisonment, but the court reduced it to five years after considering Fortuin’s status as a first offender, his guilty plea, remorse, personal circumstances, and the view that he was a suitable candidate for rehabilitation.