The Judge presiding over the constitutionality of the COVID-19 lockdown matter in the Pretoria High Court says while the government is prohibiting congregations at Masaajid, it is not stopping Muslims from reading salaah at home.
The matter of Mohammad and two others against the President of South Africa was heard in North Gauteng High in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The applicants are arguing that the closing of the masaajid is in breach of the fundamental rights of South Africans in Chapter two of the constitution.
Emphasizing about the significance of the blessed month Ramadan which is a just a few days away, Advocate Feroz Boda argued that holy month and the attachment to the mosque is very important to Muslims.
“So, the attachment to the masjid is something so fundamental to a Muslim’s life and the idea that a masjid is under lockdown and that no prayers can take place in Ramadan…”
However, Judge Brenda Neukircher interjected Boda
“But that’s not what the government says Mr. Boda. The government says that you can pray at home. They are not prohibiting prayer…What they basically doing is prohibiting congregation.”
The United Ulama Council of South Africa’s attorney Aslam Moosagie told Radio Islam, the applicants are conflating the issues of opening the masaajid with the suggestion that it can be used as a feeding scheme or Coronavirus testing station.
The matter has been postponed to Thursday.
Faizel Patel
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