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Cape Town's City Hall clock chimes again after 15 years

The City Hall clock chimed again Image: Tracy-Lynn Ruiters For the first time in 15 years, the unmistakable chimes of Cape Town's historic City Hall clock echoed through the heart of the city this week, marking a proud and poignant moment in the city's heritage story. From four chimes every quarter hour to the 16-note melody and hourly strikes, the restored clock once again forms part of the city's ambient soundtrack evoking memories for some of hurried trips to catch trains after a day at the Grand Parade, and for others, simply adding to the comforting rhythm of life in the Mother City. The restoration was unveiled by Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, James Vos, who described the moment as more than just a mechanical triumph; "it was a gesture of civic pride and a tribute to history". Originally installed in 1905 and crafted by the same clockmakers who built London's iconic Big Ben, the City Hall clock has long stood as a sentinel above Cape Town's historic centre. But for over a decade, its voice was lost its mechanisms worn, its bell silent. Now, following months of meticulous restoration by horologist Rudy Conradi and his team at Clock Affairs in Brackenfell, the clock is fully operational once again. 'So what we've done is strip the whole unit down completely in our workshop. Then we assessed the block using 3D technical drawings,' Conradi explained. 'We also managed to draw up plans for all future work, so we now have a full set of updated plans.' Conradi and his team didn't take long to identify the problems and began the delicate process of renewal. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ An old picture of workers at the City Hall clock Image: Supplied 'We've redone quite a few of the bushes and other components. After that, we assembled everything again, lubricated it, and commissioned the mechanisms. Now, the clock chimes four notes every 15 minutes and at half past it chimes 8. On the top of the hour it chimes 16 notes and strikes accordingly for each hour.' Manual labour remains central to the clock's upkeep. 'The system is almost 120 years old. They haven't automated it yet, although there were early versions that had water-level systems to assist. Right now, we manually wind the clock twice a week. The weights take about four days to drop to the bottom, so the timing works out well,' said Conradi. For him, restoring the clock is as personal as it is professional. 'People around here know I do this kind of thing though it's not really the kind of work you put on your CV. Still, it's rewarding. It's nice to look up and see your handywork in action. Just to stop and admire it and know: 'Yeah, I did that.'' For Hill-Lewis, the restoration speaks to something deeper than engineering. 'This is not just about fixing a precious and historic clock; it's about what it symbolises for our city and our government. It's about building civic pride, a shared sense that we are proud of our city,' he said. 'We love Cape Town. We are proud of what we've inherited from previous generations, and we are determined to improve on that legacy, to leave it even better for future generations. Ultimately, that's the core reason we serve in government.' Hill-Lewis commended the many City officials who played a part in the project, calling it a reflection of the kind of government he believes in. Rudi Conradi working on the clock Image: Supplied 'This is exactly what we want our work in government to reflect. We've inherited these beautiful assets from those who came before us, and it is our duty to ensure they remain a source of pride for Cape Town and all her residents,' he said. 'I only wish more people in government shared that same view.' He added that the restoration offered something else - hope. 'It shows us we can fix what's broken. If we can successfully tackle a difficult engineering or historical restoration challenge like this clock, then we can apply the same dedication to the broader issues facing our communities.' Vos, who was also involved in the planning, described the project as a personal highlight. 'Built by the legendary J.B. Joyce & Co, the same clockmakers behind the Big Ben, this is no ordinary timepiece. With its gravity escapement, Westminster Chimes, and 100kg weights, it's a mechanical masterpiece, and today, the City Hall clock is officially back on tour.' He added with a smile, 'The restoration has been a delicate process, from worn drum bushings to heritage-preserving sound mechanisms. You can't exactly order parts off the internet, like Temu. Every step has required craftsmanship, care and deep respect for history and now it's time to let the City Hall clock do what it does best: keep time, tell stories and ring out across the City once again.' Weekend Argus