Our visits in Western Cape Region
THE MUSLIM YOUTH MOVEMENT WESTERN CAPE ELECTS ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
The Muslim Youth Movement Western Cape region (MYM WC) convened its annual Regional Assembly (RA) and regional elections at a sitting in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town on 22nd August 2015. The assembly elected a 7-person Regional Executive Committeeand affirmed its commitment to placing Allah at the centre of its struggles to mobilise the region into radical and constructive action towards social justice.
We realise that South Africa is at a pivotal point in its democracy with young people, particularly, challenging the myth of the rainbow nation through intelligible, organised and defiant anti-patriarchal, pro-Black movements. We realise, too, the need for Muslims in the country and in the Western Cape, particularly, to problematize its positioning in the harsh socio-economic landscape of the country and the province.
The Muslim Youth Movement of South Africa (MYM) is also at a critical point of its 42 year existence where it is reframing its ideologies and attempting to understand Islam as it presents a radical idealism that is inspiring for youth and addresses the socio-issues of our time. We believe that the MYM, also, needs to radically challenge the South African Muslim’s problematic proximityto political power and to white capital, which is ever prevalent in the Western Cape.
We will develop robust Islamic and political training programmes across the region, strengthen our existing branches in Mitchells Plain and the University of Cape Town, while continuing to mobilise for the setting up of branches across the province. We will mobilise the region and its various Muslim bodies towards honest engagement with our Islamic identity, theology and idealism. Insha’Allah.
The Regional Executive Committee for the term 2015-2017 consists of the following individuals:
– Chairperson: Minhaj Jeenah
Deputy Chairperson: Ammaarah Arendse
Regional Secretary: Ihsaan Bassier
Deputy Regional Secretary: MishkaSarels
Treasurer: Saif-Ul-IslamGodla
Gender Desk Officer: Leila Khan
Regional Tarbiya Officer: MogamatSaabik Kader
To follow the region’s progress, all enquiries should be directed to the contact details below or follow us on: Twitter: @MYM_WC and Facebook: /MuslimYouthMovementWesternCape
AllahuA’lam
Issued by Muslim Youth Movement of Western Cape
For enquiries: 0724567260 | wc@mym.za.org
Ramadan Iftaar Programme
The Imam of Happy Valley, Sh. Ebrahim Mavela approached the MYM for assistance as his musjid ran out of food for Iftaar and Suhur during the last few days of Ramadan. The MYM approached Africa Muslims Agency (AMA) for assistance and without hesitation they provided the necessary food requirements to the Happy Valley community.
This community is often forgotten by many because they are a very small Muslim community living on the outskirts of Cape Town and also not popular like the more established townships.
The Iftaar the MYM facilitated with the help of AMA made us realise that there are other issues that needs to be addressed in this community including the organising of programmes and halaqat at the musjid.
There is a Somali community in the area doing informal business, whom the MYM intends meeting with and encouraging them to contribute financially as well as with Islamic Development and Da’wah.
The MYM and the community of Happy Valley would like to thank AMA for their contributions. Your kindness and immediate response towards this community’s needs during Ramadan is extremely appreciated.
June 16th Programme
Our June 16th programme was held in Mitchells Plain and was attended by 60 youth from various communities. The Theme for this year’s June 16th programme was ‘Youth & Gender Violence: Youth Taking Responsibility’. We hosted the programme in Mitchells Plain as it is an area with lots of social issues with gender violence being a major challenge in this community.
The guest speaker was Sh. Abdurashid Shaikh, we also had two women who were rape survivors that addressed the youth and a speaker from Rape Crises who addressed participants on becoming activist and take on the struggle against rape.
The outcomes of the programme was to have more educational workshops, to make sure our youth are made aware of gender issues from a young age and for them to become responsible citizens.
After lunch we had a number of fun activities with our youth that included various games and action soccer.
The programme was sponsored by the Department of Safety and Security in the Western Cape.
Heritage Bus Tour
The MYM Western Cape is part of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative (CTII) and we organise a heritage bus tour every year on heritage day. This tour explore various religions places of worship to promote a spirit of reconciliation, social cohesion and respect for our diversity.
Every year we visit various communities and this year we will be visiting:
- The Lutheran Church – oldest church building in South Africa (1774)
- The Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congregation (1934)- as it is the Festival of Tabernacles, we shall be visiting their Sukkah (tabernacle)
- The Iziko Bo Kaap Museum – (1763 – 1768)
- The Boorhaanol Mosque – (1884)
- The Tana Baru burial ground on Signal Hill – used since 1772 for the slaves and political exiles forcibly brought to the Cape who established Islam in the Cape
The MYM was responsible for the lunch and organising the Islamic part of the bus tour. These kind of interfaith activities is a very powerful way to breakdown stereotypes and for people to develop an understanding and respect for other religions.