Katel theft 'not isolated incident'

THE theft of a ‘katel’ - a ceremonial stretcher used during Muslim funeral rites -  from Mowbray Cemetery has not been an isolated incident but follows other break-ins and thefts.

On Friday, Chairman of the Muslim Cemetery Board and Secretary of the Burial Administration of the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) Faizal Sayed posted footage of the incident where a man came through the roof to steal the katel. 

Sayed said that he posted the footage in hopes of tracing the person, explaining: “The person cut a hole in the ceiling in the courtyard, came through the ceiling, and took many hours to actually slowly lift the thing up, and get it through the ceiling.”

Sayed explained that the cemetery has experienced a slight increase in such incidents in the last month and a half, and that not all of them have involved a katel. 

Sayed added: “The katel is an expensive metal piece, so it was clearly stolen for that purpose. In effect, it has upset the Muslim community a lot because it is something that people see their loved ones off for the last time. 

“There’s a lot of sentimental value to these things, and the community feels it is a disregard and disrespect to take something of that nature.” 

Sayed said they’ve also noticed how the increased thefts are related to metal, explaining: “The first incident was where they ripped the complete window and window frames off the prayer facility, and they reached their hands in to get a specialised clock.”

The clock is a special electronic device typically only found in mosques, which explains when the daily prayer times are, which change every day.

“The other theft included the theft of the outside air conditioning unit, which is very important because it is attached to a building where bodies are prepared for burial. 

“The facility requires proper air conditioning, so if people steal those units, which cost thousands of rands, then it impedes the operations of the cemetery.