Site meeting to take place at Sandton Mosque

I wish to bring attention to the site visit taking place at the Sandton Mosque on 4 June at 9.30am.

The mosque is located at the corner of Ballyclare and Coleraine drives.

The site visit will be conducted by Metro police officials and can be attended by all residents of the surrounding suburbs who are concerned about the negative impact the rezoning proposed by the Sandton Islamic Association might have on their properties and their neighbourhood.

The proposal is to dramatically increase the size of the footprint of the Mosque by expanding the existing school, and to build a complex of classrooms and accommodation. The proposal intends to allow double-storey buildings on the property that could effectively double the height of the current mosque. The Sandton Islamic Association further seeks to change the current prohibition on an amplified call to prayer, subject to the approval of the city council.

We as residents do not object to the current mosque and its existing rights to a school. However, it was always envisaged to be a neighbourhood facility serving the small population that live in the surrounding suburbs.

Unfortunately, it has become a facility for a transient working population. Friday parking around the mosque has increased from 50 cars six years ago to nearly 400, and the suburb experiences massive congestion as a result. The proposal to construct a school facility will just aggravate the traffic situation further and it does not appear to be aimed at just the local community.

Ironically, the proposal was declared to be not in the public interest by the Metro department of Strategic Urban Planning. However, it remains alive despite the resounding number (600) of objections received.

If you are one of those many people who objected, as well as those who have subsequently moved into the suburb and are unaware of these developments, we would encourage you to attend the site visit and meet the decision makers.