Muslims shocked as Cape Town mosque is defaced with pig snout

07 January 2017 - 15:15 By Dave Chambers
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File photo
File photo
Image: Abdus Salaam Cader

The discovery of a pig’s snout and blood on the door of a historic Cape Town mosque has left the congregation shaken.

The caretaker of the Nurul Islam Mosque made the find at 8.30am on Saturday‚ and alerted congregant Abdus Salaam Cader‚ who lives next door.

Cader said he called the police‚ who sent a van but told him they could not open a case. However‚ they would record the incident.

“I pointed out to them that there is a CCTV camera in the road‚ and they said I would have to ask a detective to accompany me to watch the footage and see if the perpetrator can be identified‚” said Cader.

He and the caretaker removed the snout and cleaned the doorway. “That wasn’t upsetting so much as the thinking and intolerance behind what was done‚” he said.

“What worries me more is that this may escalate‚ as we have seen an escalation in intolerance of Islam around the world.”

The mosque‚ one of Simon’s Town’s tourist attractions‚ celebrated its centenary in 2011.

It was at the heart of a thriving community in Simon’s Town until the Group Areas Act forced Muslims out of the town. Many of them were moved to Ocean View‚ where a sister mosque was built.

The imam of both mosques‚ Hakeem Raban‚ is in Mecca. “He contacted me this morning and asked me to keep him updated‚” said Cader.

He intends to report Saturday’s incident to the Muslim Judicial Council‚ to seek advice on how to respond‚ but said so far he had been unable to reach officials there.

Cader said he was mystified about who might be behind the incident. “Our neighbours have been very supportive‚” he said.

“Even on Fridays‚ when it gets very busy and parked up around the mosque‚ they are supportive.”

Eight or nine years ago‚ an offensive slogan was painted on the mosque‚ he said‚ but he was not aware of any other incidents of intolerance.

TMG Digital/Sunday TImes

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