Hawks spokesman Simphiwe Mhlongo told Reuters news agency the bomb squad had been sent into the Imam Hussain Mosque in Verulam, a town north of Durban, on Sunday evening.

The unit has not yet confirmed whether or not it was an explosive device.

However, Mr Mhlongo did say the area had been searched on Friday, with nothing suspicious found.

The Hawks have been investigating Thursday’s fatal attack at the mosque, which left one man dead and two with serious injures.

Several rooms were also set alight during the attack.

There have been no arrests so far, and the motive is not clear, but Mr Mhlongo told news agency AFP the attack had “elements of extremism”.

BBC