Muslims in South Africa marked the end of the holy month of Ramadhan on Monday 26 June, 2017, and celebrated Eid Al Fitr, unlike some other countries, that celebrated on Sunday.
Addressing Muslims at the Claremont Main Road Mosque in Cape Town on Monday, the Imam, Rashied Omar called upon Muslims in South Africa to unite and stand against state capture and corruption in the country.
“It is palpable that our country’s corruption dilemma is much more than President Zuma, the Guptas and the state capture,” said Imam Rashied.
“It would be so naive of us to think that, the country is simply affected with a political crisis of leadership, when in actual sense, the situation obviously goes much deeper,” the Imam explained.
Therefore, Imam Rashied urged the entire Muslim Community to take part in social justice activism to root out corruption in the government. He also said that the civil society needed to be more united in its critique of the state.
“We must be vigilant of those who have joined the call for Zuma’s resignation. These people do it mainly because their personal interests are under threat,” said the Imam.
In this sense, Imam Rashied called out the selective outrage of many South Africans and liberal activists, as he believes that the country’s problems cannot be solved by just politicians.
“The country’s critical situation does not lie in the support of any political party, politician or president. But, it lies in the independent and well organized civil society, that must hold those in power answerable of their political and moral down falls,” Imam Rashied advised.
In early April this year, South Africans signed a petition against the current President Jacob Zuma. Given the various reasons including Zuma thinking he is above the law and untouchable, 70% of the South African signed the petition for Zuma to step down.
Imam Rashied Omar in this manner has called for better governance from the new leaders that would come in by the end of the ANC’S December forth coming elective conference.
Correspondent: Shamilah Namuddu
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