Cape Town: City Hall Clock and Bell Chime heard across Cape Town again. The famous City Hall Clock is ticking in perfect time, and its beautiful bells are chiming once again after being fully restored.
Reportedly, the City Hall Clock was removed in March 2025 for repairs to restore its bells and chime mechanisms. The mechanism was manufactured by the UK clockmaker – JB Joyce & Co., who also built Big Ben, and was installed in City Hall in 1905.
Adorning the Cape Town City Hall and with Table Mountain in the background, the clock has become an iconic backdrop to events on the Grand Parade, such as the Festive Lights Switch-on and the beginning of the Cape Town Cycle Tour.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis shared his happiness over this and posted a video of his visit to the City Hall Clock. While sharing the video clip on his official social media handle Lewis said expressed, “Today Capetonians walking near City Hall would have heard something they have not heard in years – the bells of City Hall chiming again!”
“Cape Town’s 120-year-old City Hall Clock and Chime mechanism have now been fully restored! This is symbolic of our civic pride and our care for Cape Town,” added Mayor Lewis.
He also said, “This is Capetonians’ heritage! From clock maintenance to permanent lighting of the historic front façade, and restoring the carillon bells, we are taking care of the Mother City’s precious City Hall.”
View this post on Instagram
Further, Mayor Hill-Lewis expressed that great cities are built on small details and strong principles. A working City Hall Clock and chiming bells are a symbol of their pride and heritage as Capetonians, and a reminder of their daily commitment to building a City of Hope for all.
As per Lewis, from clock maintenance to permanent lighting of the historic front façade, and restoring the carillon bells, they are taking care of Cape Town’s precious City Hall and the surrounding precinct in their flourishing Inner City. Also, they are ensuring that the Mother City does not walk the path of decline, which is sadly visible in other municipalities.
The City Hall is one of the municipality’s strategic assets and its facilities have undergone several upgrades including to its CCTV system, wayfinding signage and lighting.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos was also a part of City Hall Clock inspection and said that these ongoing improvements have seen City Hall booked to near capacity, by hosting events such as the State of the Nation Address (SONA), concerts of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra and various choir competitions.
Vos added that it was also a host to the Nelson Mandela in Cape Town Legacy Exhibition, the Cape Town Civic Collection’s Attic Exhibition and Cape Town Tourism’s City Hall Visitor Experience Centre.
The process of fixing the clock included restoring worn drum bushings and ensuring that the sound mechanism meets heritage preservation standards. The turret clock features a three-train movement with separate mechanisms controlling the timekeeping, chimes and strikes.
The Westminster chimes, once heard every quarter-hour, are similar to those of London’s Big Ben. Also, the original parts make it a rare example of historical horology, requiring special expertise to restore it.
James Vos further expressed that he is extremely grateful to the Strategic Assets team for their careful work in restoring this beloved turret clock. City Hall is an important feature of Cape Town’s heritage and has been the location or backdrop to many of the most important moments in South Africa’s history. They will continue to do work that maintains its facilities and honors its legacy.