Suspicious device at Durban mosque forces evacuations

Reaction Unit South Africa says it has evacuated several residences in the vicinity of a mosque in Verulam, north of Durban after a device thought to be a ‘bomb’ was found inside.

The mosque is the same one that was attacked last week, where several people were injured and one was killed, after three men stormed the mosque with knives, and slit the throat of Abbas Essop, leaving two others seriously wounded.

Workmen preparing the mosque for evening prayers stumbled on the device on Sunday evening.

KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Simphiwe Mhlongo says the Bomb Disposal Squad is trying the determine what the device is.

Mhlongo says, “We cannot raise the alarm in the community at this stage, we are together and the community is around here. And we will get a report from the explosive unit that will tell us what the device is and how safe is the place.”