Suspected bomb found in Wentworth supermarket

DURBAN police detonated a parcel, believed to be a bomb, that was found in a supermarket in Wentworth yesterday.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Captain MP Gumede said a bomb threat was called in yesterday afternoon after a 10-year-old boy arrived at a supermarket and handed the manager a brown envelope containing a 9mm bullet and a handwritten letter.

“The letter was received by the manager, and in that letter it stated, ‘Put money inside the bag and leave the bag/parcel outside the supermarket, otherwise a bomb will explode. And do not call the police’.

“The boy who delivered the letter alleged that it was given to him by an unknown male to deliver,” Gumede said in a statement.

“The manager brought the envelope to the police station, being accompanied by the boy. The police attended and cordoned off the scene.

“The bomb disposal unit arrived and an explosives dog searched inside the supermarket.

“A black plastic packet was found at the entrance near the tills.”

Gumede said the parcel was destroyed. No one was injured and no property was damaged.

The man who sent the boy into the supermarket with the envelope had not been found and investigations continued.

The incident comes after explosive devices were detonated in the Woolworths store at Gateway and Pavilion last Thursday, leading to fires.

In a statement on Sunday, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu condemned the placing of the devices in public places and called for calm.

“We condemn the placing of bombs and bomb-like devices in public places, the only intention of which is to plant fear and insecurity among citizens.

“There appear to be attempts to scare the public from places of commerce and entertainment, but also inadvertently to undermine our province as a place of domestic and international tourism,” he said. – Mercury Reporter/African News Agency (ANA)