Durban mosque bomb mystery endures, but interfaith support builds unity against ‘nefarious agenda’

Pictures of the bomb found at the Durban North mosque this week. Photos: Supplied

By Greg Ardé

14 Jul 2024

Although police are uncertain about the motive behind undetonated explosives left at a mosque in Durban North last week, the incident has brought the broader interfaith community closer together.

There is much disagreement and a great deal of speculation about what prompted events in the early hours of Monday, 8 July at the Musjidur Rahman mosque in Kenneth Kaunda Road.

The place of worship is on a posh, tree-lined road in Durban North and, at 12.43am, a car stopped in the driveway for about a minute.

A mosque trustee told Daily Maverick that CCTV footage shows that, in the ensuing 45 minutes, two men got out and left something in the shrubbery near the perimeter wall. They drove off when a private security van passed and then returned.

The mosque caretaker came out and saw two men jump back in the car, and it sped off. The caretaker called mosque management, who called the South African Police Service. The bomb squad took away C-4 plastic explosives and 40m of detonation cable.

The mosque’s Yusuf Desai described the “attempted act of terrorism” as a “grave concern” for the community.

Desai said that despite initial opposition to the mosque’s establishment, it had become a symbol of community support, providing services and humanitarian aid during crises such as the 2021 riots and water shortages.

Dr Faisal Suliman, chairperson of the South African Muslim Network, lives in Durban North and attends the mosque. “This was a serious device. It was almost enough to bring the place down. Two white guys were spotted at the scene,” he said.

Although there was only speculation about the motive, Suliman is worried. “We aren’t screaming Islamophobia here, but it could have been detonated. This was a terrible hate crime in the making.”

Durban mosque bomb Illustrative image of the Musjidur Rahman mosque. (Graphic: Jocelyn Adamson)

The discovery has stirred unease and comes after a recent fatal attack in Durban on a Muslim family by a man ranting about the Gaza war. It also evokes memories of a deadly mosque attack in Verulam, outside Durban, in 2018.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Second deadly mosque attack leaves South Africa reeling

In June, Grayson Beare, the estranged adopted son of Jewish businessman Julian Beare, was charged with murder after Halima Hoosen-Preston was killed in an attack at her home in Glenmore. Her husband and 19-year-old son were also injured.

In a video widely shared on social media, Grayson appeared to claim the attack was because the family was pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist.

After Grayson’s arrest, Julian issued a statement deploring the “heinous attack”, extending condolences to the Hoosen-Preston family and saying he was horrified by Grayson and his “deeply upsetting comments” in the video.

He also said Grayson had previously been treated for substance abuse and psychological issues. He made it clear he wouldn’t assist Grayson’s defence financially or in any other way.

Halima’s husband, Sean, also released a statement, saying he regarded Grayson’s actions as criminal and “not a political or religious matter”.

In 2018, three knife-wielding men stormed a Shia mosque. They killed Abbas Essop by slitting his throat and wounded two others. Attackers also set fire to holy texts in the mosque and fled.

Three days later, worshippers found explosives and wires fused together in what looked like a bomb. In November that year, 19 men were arrested in Durban for murder, extortion and terrorism. In 2022, the case against them was provisionally dismissed.

Back to the events at the mosque in Durban North last week.

Durban mosque bomb Pictures of the bomb found at the Durban North mosque this week. (Photos: Supplied)

Brigadier Jay Naicker, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, said the police were investigating the discovery of two homemade explosive devices at the mosque.

But, he said, the “devices were not set up to explode”.

The police believe the suspects were en route to another, unknown destination but were spotted near the mosque, panicked and dumped the explosives, which are commonly used in cash-in-transit heists.

Mosque trustees are angry about the police statement.

Said one: “The cops have got it completely wrong. The bomb squad told us if it was detonated, it would have blown half the building away. This was planned. That’s why the Hawks and intelligence guys have been here. We don’t know why this happened, but it has put people on edge.”

Azaad Seedat, chairperson and founder of the Shia community in KwaZulu-Natal, whose mosque was attacked in Verulam, said: “We don’t think this is related to the 2018 attack because the explosives aren’t similar. Also, the mosque in Durban North isn’t a Shia mosque. For now, any speculation about motive is just that. We don’t know.”

Rafeek Shah, a Muslim cleric who lives in Durban North, believes there is no connection between the two mosque incidents.

Shah said the Durban North mosque played a positive role in the community.

“I think there is a nefarious agenda to disturb the peace, to instil fear into the hearts and minds of the local Muslim community and to… incite a violent response from them. They won’t succeed.”

Suliman reiterated this. Although he said the incident could not be underplayed, Muslim community leaders were determined not to allow the incident to be divisive.

“We won’t be intimidated from practising our religious rights, but nor will we stop our service to the community, and we will work even closer with the 14 churches that are in a 2km radius from the mosque, whatever the motive was for the bomb.”

Suliman’s words were brought to life on Thursday, 11 July, in a moving gathering at the mosque, where worshippers and clerics warmly welcomed KwaZulu-Natal’s Inter Religious Council members.

Among them were Hailey Fudu from the Baha’í faith, Reverend Ian Booth from the Congregational Church, Jewish Rabbi Gilad Friedman and Hindu representative Dhiraj Gordhan.

Imam Junaid Kharsany said a bomb scare at a place of worship was traumatic for worshippers and neighbours, but the event “has brought us together”.

Muslims said they were touched that Jews were among the first to offer support.

Friedman emphasised the power of interfaith connections in Durban: “Hopefully, our visit strengthens this unity.” Booth said: “We are here in solidarity with you.”

Fudu said the beautiful mosque evoked unity: “We stand together. We are family.”

Ryaz Rosay from the Durban North Residents Association described the gathering as heartwarming. “Rather than polarising us, this will nurture a beautiful tree that will give us shade, and the fruit of this tree is cooperation.”

Raymond Perrier runs the Denis Hurley Centre, an NGO for the homeless in Durban that Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Jews jointly support. He said the centre and Thursday’s meeting were testament to the city’s long history of vibrant interfaith cooperation. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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