Manenberg buzzed with excitement on Tuesday as Muslims gathered in the street for Eid ul Fitr morning prayers.
The group led by Moulana Sameeg Norodien of the Manenberg Centre of Islamic Information and Education (MCIIE) gathered in Tagus Street shortly after 7am where they cleaned a section of the road before laying out their musallahs down to perform salaah.
The annual event, which was started in 2019 in an attempt to quell gang violence, sees young and old take to the street to pray for peace and prosperity in the Cape Flats community.
Norodien says due to the misty weather, many opted to pray indoors at local mosques but many others gathered in the street.
“The weather was not on our side and many people opted to go to mosque instead, but we still had a group of men, women and children who came out and we opened up the garage to accommodate some.
“Every year we host our prayers in the street to not only celebrate Eid but to call on the community to keep the spirit of Ramadaan going.”
Norodien says the group gathered the night before to prepare nearly 20 pots of food, which were distributed yesterday as they celebrated the end of the Fast.
“We started the night before and after prayers in the morning, we shared a meal and wished each other well.
“Throughout Ramadaan we have tried to build the community and Manenberg has been hit hard with various problems involving school children.”
Noting the shocking videos showing a teen girl being raped at Phoenix High School recently, Norodien says their next project will see religious leaders from across Manenberg hosting interventions at schools.
“We will be focusing on our youth looking at all these horrible things like the rape video. The biggest problem is that children are too busy wanting to be skollies than talking to God.
“Even the madressa children walk around and sabela.
“Our aim is to reach out and speak to children about coming back to Allah.
“To show them they can find solace by opening a Qur’an or a Bible. That they do not have to get fulfilment on the streets.”
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