Police have arrested a man after a suspicious device was found in his possession at Elizabeth earlier today, according to SA Police.
Just after 3.40 pm on Saturday 22 October, police spoke to the man outside the Elizabeth City Centre. He was found to be in possession of knuckle dusters following a search.
A further search resulted in the location of a home-made firearm and another device, suspected to be a home-made explosive being located inside the man’s backpack.
Elizabeth City Centre Management evacuated the centre just before 5pm.
The device was immediately isolated near an external loading bay and the area cordoned off to the public.
Officers from SAPOL’s Explosives Co-ordination Section attended the scene and examined and confirmed the item to be a home-made explosive device.
The 39-year-old man from Elizabeth Grove was arrested and charged with possess prohibited weapons, firearms and explosives offences.
He has been refused bail and will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Monday.
Police have determined that this incident was not terrorism related.
The circumstances of the man being in possession of the weapons and suspected explosives are still under investigation.
No person was directly threatened during this incident and no one was injured.
