Manenberg residents are reviving their annual Eid street celebrations and are calling residents to help bring back the community spirit.
This follows a lower than expected turnout on Saturday at the annual mass salaah hosted in Manenberg Avenue to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr and the end of the month of Ramadaan.
The event which is usually a highlight in the Cape Flats community has seen numbers dwindle in recent years as a result of the Covid pandemic and national shutdowns, but religious leaders say the ongoing loadshedding has also impacted celebrations.
On Saturday morning, residents gathered in Manenberg Avenue where they blocked off the street in preparation for morning prayers but less than 20 mense arrived.
In previous years hundreds of residents would gather, along with Manenberg police, as they shut down the main arterial road to celebrate Eid and share a meal.
Moulana Sameeg Norodien says: “This year the cold weather played a huge role, with many people opting to pray at the mosques.
“But another issue is the load shedding; many people were running around trying to get things done because baking and cooking was a major problem.”
Norodien says many Muslim families struggled during Ramadaan as a result of the load shedding.
“People wake up for suhoor and the lights are out and then sukkel to get through the day without a meal.
“With work schedules and responsibilities people get home and again at maghrib time its load shedding. Most families cannot afford gas and this had an impact.
“We are now planning a big event for Eid al-Adha and are calling on residents to come together like we once did.”