Hawks to probe deadly Malmesbury mosque attack

The police have confirmed that two worshippers were stabbed to death in the early hours of Thursday morning by a knife-wielding man said to be in his thirties. 

The attacker, meanwhile, charged at officers who were persuading him to hand himself over. 

But when he ignored their calls, police opened fire and he was shot and killed. 

The Western Cape police's Andre Traut says the motive for the attack is not clear. 

"He was warned to surrender. He refused and in the process, he was fatally wounded. He is, therefore, being investigated by (police watchdog body) IPID. 

"During the incident two other people sustained injuries." 

The African National Congress (ANC) provincial secretary Faiz Jacobs visited the mosque on Thursday. 

With Eid expected tonight, Jacobs said President Cyril Ramaphosa is concerned at the latest attack on a mosque.

"The state president gave us a call and he also expressed his concern and he asked us to convey his sincere condolences on behalf of the national government to the community on the senseless and tragic loss of life here in Malmesbury. 

"We are all shocked and saddened."

Jacobs says this looks like a copycat killing following the attack on a Durban mosque a few weeks ago. 

"We are concerned that it might be a copycat of the Verulam incident. The president said he certainly would step up investigations into the Verulam incident. We want to ensure that all our places of worship, our religious places of worship are secure and safe." 

Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has also sent her condolences to the relatives of the two worshippers. 

Meanwhile, the Muslim Judicial Council has appealed for calm after this morning's deadly attack.

The worshippers were stabbed to death by a knife-wielding man who was later gunned down by police.