Grey Street Mosque to remain closed 'indefinitely' after blaze

Durban's most historic mosque will remain closed “indefinitely” until the safety of worshippers can be guaranteed.

AV Mohamed, chairperson of the Juma Masjid Trust, told TimesLIVE that the Juma Masjid, also known as the Grey Street Mosque, was scheduled to open for prayer on Monday. However, about midday the block of flats that forms part of mosque — the largest of its type in the southern hemisphere — went up in flames.

“In view of the government restrictions of 50 people, we were going to officially open the mosque yesterday [Monday], but the area that people use to enter the mosque from the street is now an issue after the fire that took place, and the place is not considered safe enough for the public to be moving about in,” he said on Tuesday. “We have will not reopen in view of the safety hazard. The mosque will remain closed indefinitely until the safety of worshippers and shop owners have been sorted out.”

The Denis Hurley Centre, a faith-based community organisation, had offered its hall for Friday prayers until the mosque reopened.

“I thank them. I am a patron of the centre but as such we are not offering or providing any prayers outdoors. In view of the lockdown, we didn’t have anyone coming to the mosque. We are allowed only 50 people, so to go through all the logistics of all that when we are dealing with the fire and trauma of what happened is too much,” said Mohamed.

TimesLIVE