The City of Cape Town and South African police are investigating a suspected explosive device found near the city’s Jewish community center, local authorities said Tuesday.

The incident occurred last Friday when an improvised bomb-like object was discovered near the center, according to a statement from the Cape Town branch of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD). The device did not detonate, and no injuries or damage were reported.

Initial media reports erroneously claimed that no device had been found, but Daniel Bloch, executive director of the Cape SAJBD, said that the discovery was legitimate and has prompted an investigation by the South African Police Service’s serious crimes unit, known as the Hawks.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said police are reviewing closed-circuit television footage as part of their efforts to determine the nature of the device. “Cape Town is a city of peace-loving people, where differences of faith and opinion are expressed loudly and fully, but always peacefully,” he said. “Should this investigation confirm an attempted attack, I know all Capetonians will join me in condemning such actions unequivocally.”

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in South Africa, where the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has intensified its criticism of Israel following the October 2023 outbreak of Israel’s conflict with Hamas. The ANC has accused Israel of genocide and recalled its diplomats from Israel, drawing international criticism.

In May, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faced backlash from the country’s Jewish community after declaring, “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea,” a slogan widely criticized as a call for Israel’s destruction.

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