An “improvised explosive device”, which forced the evacuation of the Imam Hussain Mosque in Verulam, north of Durban, on Sunday night, had been placed beneath the moulana‘s chair.

This was revealed as bomb technicians cautiously examined the “bomb” - a white PVC pipe affixed to a cell phone with wires.

It is understood that a group of worshipers had concluded their prayers and had noticed the device on the pulpit.

The find came just hours after Police Minister Bheki Cele had visited the site after the fatal knife attack on Thursday. The mosque and houses around were evacuated in the wake of the discovery.

Mosque chairman and co-founder Azaad Seedat told TimesLIVE that those preparing the mosque for evening prayer found the device.

“We can’t say too much now but the guys were getting the place ready, partitioning off the damaged sections of the place that were burnt... and they found the bomb near the pulpit.

“We just got everyone out of the building. All the houses surrounding the mosque have been evacuated,” he added.