KRAMAT VANDALISED

THERE has been public outrage after a designated national heritage site, at the Mowbray Cemetery, was broken into and vandalised by criminals. 

The Kramat of Sayed Moegsin Bin Alawi was broken into and severely vandalised on Tuesday evening. 

A kramat, also known as a mazaar, is a shrine or tomb of a revered Muslim holy person, particularly prominent in South Africa. 

These shrines are places of pilgrimage and respect for Muslim communities, often marking the graves of individuals who played a significant role in the early spread of Islam in the region. 

The Moslem Cemetery Board condemned the actions and stated this incident follows another theft where the katal, the bier used for the transportation of deceased persons, was stolen from the same premises just weeks ago. 

“The confluence of these incidents reveals an emerging pattern of targeted criminality that strikes at the core of religious reverence, heritage preservation, and communal dignity,” the board said. 

“It must be emphasised that these violations occurred despite the recent implementation of comprehensive and high-level security upgrades across the Mowbray Cemetery precinct.” 

CCTV cameras, advanced motion-sensitive alarm systems, and additional burglar bars have not seemed to deter criminals. 

The Moslem Cemetery Board said it immediately engaged the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC), and the Cape Mazaar Society (CMS) to ensure that this act is investigated and prosecuted with the full weight of the law. 

Advocate Yusuf Khan Dalwai, the Public Relations Officer of the Cape Mazaar society, said that they are saddened and shocked to discover the desecration and vandalism at Sayed Moegsin Bin Alawi.

“This is not only vandalism of a sacred site but an attack on our community. We call on the authorities to do a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said. 

The MJC said it viewed this act as a violation of sacred space and as a flagrant affront to religious and cultural sensibilities, an attack on the moral sanctity of the dead, and a disruption of public peace in direct contravention of South African laws protecting religious sites and heritage institutions.

President of the MJC, Sheikh Riad Fataar, said: “This criminal act is deeply disturbing and must be understood as vandalism, theft, and the desecration of sacred heritage. 

“The Kramat of Sayed Moegsin Bin Alawi is not only a site of Islamic significance, but a repository of the collective memory of the Muslim community of South Africa…” 

The Moslem Cemetery Board has also called on the public, faith-based organisations, civil society bodies, and local residents to remain vigilant and consider the preservation of sacred burial spaces.