The Muslim community of Cape Town is rejoicing at the reopening of the Brodie Road Muslim Cemetery in Wynberg. The cemetery, which has been closed since its last burial in 1896, will be available for burials from Saturday, 8 April.
The Yusufeyyah Masjid Committee and the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) made the announcement and expressed their gratitude to the City of Cape Town for granting permission for the cemetery’s reopening.
The Brodie Road Muslim Cemetery is a historic landmark in Cape Town. The then-colonial government provided the land to the Muslim community in 1848.
The cemetery was entrusted to Imam Badrodien, who was the ‘Malay Priest’ for the Wynberg area at the time. Over time, the Yusufeyyah Masjid took over the custodianship of the cemetery, and it was last utilised 127 years ago.
The cemetery’s reopening has been made possible by the persistent efforts of the Yusufeyyah Masjid committee members, who engaged with the City of Cape Town to have the cemetery reopened for burials.
The current members of the committee started the process with the City of Cape Town again, and after months of consultations, the burial administration of the MJC welcomed the news of the reopening.
The shortage of burial space in Cape Town has made the reopening of the Brodie Road Muslim Cemetery all the more crucial.
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The burial administration of the MJC has worked closely with the cemetery management, and with the support of the City of Cape Town, the cemetery will be available for burials from Saturday, 8 April.
‘We, as a community, have reclaimed that which has been made difficult for us in terms of burial space for the Western Cape,’ said Sheik Riad Fataar, second deputy president of the MJC and chairman of the Burial Administration Department to IOL.
‘We thank the Yusufeyya Committee, Mrs Susan Brice, Head of Cemetery Management for the City of Cape Town, and those who preceded us and have been involved for the many years.’
Sheik Riad Fataar, second deputy president of the MJC and chairman of the Burial Administration Department, expressed his gratitude to the Yusufeyyah Committee, the City of Cape Town, and others who played a significant role in making the reopening a success.
Shiekh Ebrahiem Moos from the Yusufeyyah Masjid Committee thanked the City of Cape Town for granting permission to reopen the cemetery, and acknowledged the contributions of many individuals and organisations in completing the project.
The reopening of the Brodie Road Muslim Cemetery is a significant event for the Muslim community of Cape Town. It represents the community working together with key role players to ensure the needs of the community are met.
Members of the public wishing to bury their loved ones at the cemetery are urged to contact a registered undertaker, who will make all the necessary arrangements for the burial.
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