Tensions rise over Taronga Road Mosque management

NINE years later, tensions remain high over the management of the Taronga Road Mosque, as a group of community members say the Trustees have effectively taken control of the Masjid, positioning themselves as "Lifetime Trustees" who cannot be removed since 2016.

- NICOLA DANIELS

They say these actions disregard the prescriptions established in the Trust Deed, leading to a situation where the Rondebosch East Islamic Community Trust (REICT) is not accountable to the community.

According to community member Abdool Raouf Bux, the issue at the Taronga Road masjid allegedly started in 2014 when the bulk of the current trustees questioned the integrity of a co-trustee at a public meeting with the co-trustee present.

“The attack on their co-trustee was not mandated by the community. The trustees in their January 15, 2015 meeting minutes declared the following resolved for practical reasons, to replace the existing Trust Deed with a new Trust Deed because Trust received a lawyer's letter of intent to sue the trust,” he said.

He added that the situation had created many divisions in the community.

While the issue of the Trust Deed has been ongoing for several years, the recent dismissal of another Moulana by the trustees of Taronga Road Masjid has resulted in renewed tension in the community.

In a letter by concerned community members dated April 13, they called for the resignation of the current mosque trustees.