Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-09-20

A masjid in Bethal, Mpumalanga was vandalized after Fajr salaah on Friday morning.

According to a source who spoke to Radio Islam, unknown suspect/s broke a number of light fittings and spiked a snake, approximately one to two metres in length which had been cut in half on the palisade fencing outside the Bethal Town Masjid in Clerq Street.

The community suspects that a mentally handicapped person who frequents the taxi rank opposite the masjid is allegedly responsible for the vandalism.

The source said that the same mentally handicapped person used to allegedly dispose of garbage and trash on the masjid premises on previous occasions.

The local police are aware of the incident.

“They (police) were informed but they said that because there are no suspects they are not going to open charges.”

The masjid committee is considering arranging security during salaah times and even installing CCTV cameras to ensure that future incidents do not occur.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)