The plot to have illegal squatters removed from the Yusufeyya Mosque near the Wynberg Railway Station thickens as proactive steps are currently underway to restore peace to this historic place of worship.
However, the clock is ticking to save the sixth-oldest mosque in South Africa, according to the chair of the Wynberg East Civic Association, Yunus Karriem.
In a call to residents and businesspeople on WhatsApp over the weekend, both Karriem and Ward 62 councillor Emile Langenhoven urged those affected to fill in affidavits on Sunday morning in support of the Passenger Rail Agency Of South Africa’s (Prasa) application to have the illegal elements removed from the mosque property in Mosque Road, Wynberg.
“We have just one week to do this,” he highlighted over the weekend while inviting locals to Wittebome High School, where affidavit forms were available to be commissioned by Karriem before being sent to Prasa’s offices.
“This affidavit is to back Prasa in its process of applying for an eviction order from the courts, and will assist Prasa to get such an eviction order. We as a civic organisation have requested all interested and affected parties to come forth and fill in affidavits by listing issues they’re experiencing.”
Karriem said they were pleasantly surprised by how many people showed up to support this call as part of Prasa’s objective to submit an application for a court-ordered eviction.
However, Langenhoven urged those who are yet to submit an affidavit as part of Prasa’s application to ensure it is stamped by the relevant police station.
“I am very encouraged that the community is involved and happy that residents are participating in the submission of affidavits to the application,” he said.
“The courts view affidavits in a very serious light as evidenced by the process of eviction applications, and this will obviously strengthen Prasa’s case.”
Issues plaguing the surrounding community and worshippers include an increase in crime, gangsterism and blocked subways as a result of dumping.
“We’ve been struggling with several issues at the mosque, urinating and defecating against the boundary wall,” Karriem told People’s Post. “We’ve also experienced incidents of theft from the mosque. Congregants have also had their shoes stolen and we have traced all the cases back to the squatters on the hill.”
He added bi-monthly meetings are held with Prasa, The City of Cape Town, ward councillors and other relevant stakeholders with the goal of having the squatters relocated to better spaces.
This also includes a petition to be signed as part of the ongoing fight.
The petition statement expresses “unwavering support for the High Court Eviction Application aimed at the removal of the illegal settlement situated on the Public Transport Interchange (PTI) and neighbouring Yusufeyyah Mosque complex. In alignment with the principles of justice and adherence to the law, I stand firmly behind the efforts of Prasa in pursuing this matter through the High Court[…]
“With this endeavour we hope to see the situation rectified and the community restored to a state of lawful compliance and tranquillity. The current situation is untenable as it is impacting our constitutional right to perform our religious practices in peace.”
This petition was launched two weeks ago on the Change.org platform and has since been signed by at least 1 000 in a single week.
