Cape Town – Endowment land that was to be used for charitable purposes remains a controversial matter between its trustees and members of the community after a Bo-Kaap site was developed into a food garden last year.
Sustainable Bo-Kaap Association (Suboka), which transformed the site into a food garden, claims the land was unused for its Islamic purposes for over 40 years. The site is declared as Waqf land which is an endowment made in Islam for the use of charitable purposes only.
An Islamic educational institution was initially supposed to be built on the land. However, it has taken many years for the site to be put to its use due to various reasons.
Suboka founder Soraya Booley said: “The land has been unused by anyone for Islamic purposes for over 40 years. When we came to clean the land, it was overgrown and littered with rubbish. For decades our community has been plagued by the rubble dumping and crime emanating from the land. This is one of the reasons we started the garden.”
She said only once they began to clear the land and restore its dignity then individuals started coming forward to claim further control of the land.
The Darul Falaah Study Group (DFSG), an Islamic organisation formed to purchase the land for the building of an Islamic educational institution have however claimed that they have been faced with many delays, including financial hardships and personal circumstances of the Trustees resulting in the land being unused.
DFSG trustees said: “It is untrue that the land has been abandoned and a paper trail exists as evidence of the progress made towards this objective over the years showing various expenses incurred.”
DFSG trustees said they have evidence of the architectural fees and correspondence showing engagements with the City of Cape Town, including those of neighbouring properties affected by the plans for the building.
Booley said they support an Islamic School at the property but since this has been promised since 1972 and not been built yet, the land must therefore be used for Waqf (charitable endowment) purposes which include feeding those in need, especially in these tough times.
Cape Argus