WATER resources are under tremendous strain and this inspired the South African National Zakah Fund (SANZAF) to embark on various sustainable resource-based water security projects, which include four new bore-hole projects.
One of the bore-holes was sunk at the construction site of the first Mosque in Kwa- Nobuhle, currently being built at 26 Nkombisa Street. The other three bore-holes of this national project are in Phoenix (KwaZulu- Natal), Strand (Western Cape) and Kwa- Themba (Gauteng).
The project is funded through the SANZAF’s Water Waqf, which is an inalienable charitable endowment under Islamic law, which typically involves donating assets for Muslim religious or charitable purposes with no intention of reclaiming the assets.
“Water is an integral part of our worship and with it continuously becoming a scarce resource we felt that a bore-hole at the new Mosque will be of great help,” said Tandile Kona, chairperson of the KwaNobuhle Muslim community.
“But, it will not only be to the benefit of the emerging Muslim community. The neighbouring primary school and residents will also, as a last resort during a water crisis, benefit from the bore-hole.
“The project also aims to ensure that our emerging Muslim community will not be burdened by overhead costs for water and electricity supply, nor being affected by water or electricity shortages,” said Kona.
Therefore, in addition, solar panels will be installed at the new Mosque once the construction has been completed.
According to Kona the bore-hole will deliver approximately 9 000 litres of water per hour and it will have an estimated lifespan of 40 years.
The cost of the bore-hole project in Kwa-Nobuhle is approximately R200 000 and it has been covered by SANZAF donors.
Siyamthanda Spaji from SANZAF said the bore-hole project culminated during March, as it was in celebration with the international water month. The official launch of the KwaNobuhle Mosque bore-hole will be held on Saturday, May 4th.
“All donors responsible for making this project a reality will be present to see the fruits of their donations into this emerging Muslim community,” said Spaji.
Oldest Mosque in SA
Uitenhage is home to the first mosque to be built in South Africa. All the other mosques were homes of families which had been converted into mosques. The Uitenhage Mosque is at the corner of Caledon and Cuyler Streets and was constructed during 1849. Exactly 170 years later, the new Mosque in KwaNobuhle, which is due to be completed during July 2019, will be the fifth Mosque in Uitenhage.
“With the KwaNobuhle Mosque or Islamic Centre, we have focussed on the future and the entire project has been designed in such a way that it will be almost maintenance free,” said Aziez Madatt, chairperson of SANZAF Port Elizabeth Region.
“This Islamic Centre will as far as possible run on green principles. With the bore-hole we will not have to rely on municipal water and with the solar panels we will not be reliant on electricity.
“And unlike some of our modern Mosques, we want to flip the coin and would like for this centre to be a haven to the community. To be a centre for socializing, education, welfare and to assist in time of disaster.
“It all is towards changing lives through the development of having a sustainable and self-sufficient centre for an emerging Muslim community within Nelson Mandela Bay, which are the beneficiaries of this project,” said Madatt.
