For many locals walking through Cape Town’s bustling city centre, Thursday sounded just a little different — in the best way.
After nearly 15 years of silence, the iconic clock tower at City Hall has come back to life, and the sound of its hourly chime is turning heads and stopping people in their tracks.
The clock, a long-standing symbol of Cape Town’s heritage, had gone quiet around 2010 due to a mechanical fault.
But now, after a detailed restoration project, it’s striking the hour with precision — and a whole lot of pride.
A Historic Timepiece Gets a Second Chance
This isn’t just any old clock. Built back in 1905 by the very same company that created London’s Big Ben, the Cape Town City Hall clock is a proud relic of the city’s Edwardian past.
Over time, its chime and bell strike mechanisms broke down, leaving the landmark eerily silent.
But thanks to a meticulous six-month restoration process, the grand timekeeper has been brought back to full working order.
Restorers carefully dismantled the clock’s internal mechanisms, swapped out worn-down gears, and fine-tuned the bells so they now ring with their original depth and clarity.
Goosebumps at Noon
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis led a joyful relaunch ceremony to mark the occasion.
He was joined by James Vos, who oversees economic growth in the metro, along with City Hall staff.
“When it struck 12, I felt goosebumps,” Hill-Lewis said, visibly moved by the return of the iconic sound.
“We take pride in what we have, and we take pride in our city.”
This project is just one piece of a broader initiative by the City of Cape Town to restore and protect historical sites that form the cultural backbone of the metro.
A Soundtrack for the City
Now that it’s fully operational again, the clock’s bell can be heard from as far as Grand Parade to the steps of St George’s Cathedral.
It doesn’t just mark time — it brings with it a wave of nostalgia, echoing Cape Town’s rich history through its familiar tone.
To make sure it stays this way, the city has also introduced a quarterly maintenance plan.
This ensures the clock’s intricate mechanism stays in top shape for years, even decades, to come.
More Than Just a Clock
This isn’t only about fixing a bell or gears.
The revival of the City Hall clock represents something deeper — a commitment to preserving Cape Town’s identity.
It’s about remembering where the city came from, and celebrating the small but powerful symbols that connect the past with the present.
And for anyone walking through the city centre and hearing that chime — whether at noon or in the late evening — it’s a subtle, stirring reminder that some things are worth restoring.