Mosque attack compared to Gaza
Religious leaders, together with the Muslim community, have compared the events that unfolded at a mosque in Ottawa, north of Durban, over the course of the last week - to an attack on innocent civilians in Gaza.
On Monday, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian protesters on the Israel-Gaza border, leaving at least 60 people dead and over 2 000, injured.
The same day, the Hawks confirmed that a device found under the moulana’s chair, at the Imam Hussain Mosque, on Sunday night - was a bomb.
The discovery of the bomb came just days after a group of knife-wielding men had stormed the building - killing one man and leaving two others hurt.
They also set the mosque library alight.
The chairman of the National Interfaith of South Africa , Bishop Timothy Ngcobo, says the group strongly condemns the violence and has asked the government to intervene.
“If we look at what is happening in Israel and Palestine, it is the same as what we are experiencing now in our country,” he says, “ Religions are intolerant of one another”.
Ngcobo says this must come to an end.
Chairman at the mosque, Azad Seedat says he will tonight meet with members of the community around the mosque, at the Ottawa Community Hall, to discuss their safety concerns.
He says the Hawks have handed the mosque back to the worshippers but that it will still be some time before it’s business as usual.
“We’re still busy with mopping up and renovating,” he says, “Because of the fire, there is a lot of work that has to be done”.
He says it will likely be at least a month, before the mosque can be used for worship again.
“But we are making alternative arrangements in the meantime,” he says.