3 min read |12:25
Annisa Essack | kzn@radioislam.org.za

This week, the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa (JUSA) informed residents in the Gauteng region that there was a lack of capacity for burials at the Avalon Cemetery. This meant that burials would be done at the Olifantsvlei Cemetery, but re-burials would continue to be allowed at the Avalon Cemetery.

However, the Olifantsvlei Cemetery is facing a lack of wudhu and salah facilities, and security needs to be beefed up.

Amir, Mufti M A Bulbulia, at JUSA, encouraged the community to perform salah at suitable facilities in Lenasia before burial at Olifantsvlei Cemetery. With prior arrangements, the Nurul Islam Masjid courtyard or parking area has been made available for janazaah salah.

JUSA will also keep the community informed should other venues become available.

The current situation highlights to the Muslim Ummah, especially in Lenasia, the role of the Avalon Cemetery.

Importantly, it also allows us to focus on the cemetery’s history. Dr Ismail Vadi reflected on this aspect recently in an article he penned titled “Apartheid Burials – Muslim Cemeteries in Johannesburg”, which contained a brief history of the cemeteries in the greater Johannesburg area.

He joined Hafidh Ebrahim Moosa on his show “Under the Radar” to explore the ideas and suggestions he covered in the article.

Vadi spoke of the shortage of land space for cemeteries in South Africa and said that almost one million people settled in Gauteng every five years, which exacerbated the lack of burial space.

Going back in time, Vadi said that the Muslim community used the Kliptown Cemetery, but he was unsure if it had reached capacity. The Avalon Cemetery has existed for more than four decades, and he added that before the Avalon Cemetery came into existence, the Bosmont and Newclare Cemeteries were used.

The Jamiat SA, Vadi said, had made a concession for Muslims living in Lenasian who had immediate family buried at the Avalon Cemetery to rebury there.

Private cemeteries are an alternative that some have considered; however, Vadi explained that there were several geographical and spatial restrictions.

The Group Areas Act promoted racial segregation that saw people placed on land dependent on their colour and profoundly affected how cemeteries were created. Democracy in South Africa further impacted the situation, especially as people moved to other areas and the need for more cemeteries grew.

Post-apartheid, we saw cemeteries shared by all faiths and colours, increasing the need for more cemeteries. Vadi says that the demand has increased drastically over time, and cemeteries have taken on a more integrated form where all faiths share the overall space in different areas.

The Avalon Cemetery holds the legacy of the community, as its most prominent religious and political figures and those who contributed to the community’s everyday life are buried there.

According to Vadi, preserving the Avalon Cemetery is of the utmost importance, not only for the religious aspects Muslims are obligated to follow but also because it carries the history of many families and the community.

The cemetery must be maintained together with the municipality; the community must partner to ensure this happens.

Shaheen Ismail has taken on a caretaker role, marshalling the community to work together to maintain the graves. He does this at his own cost and has also received assistance from the district.

Vadi concluded by asking why the community must care for cemeteries which should be under the auspices of local government.

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