Ramadan in South Africa

01/08/2010| IslamWeb

When the sun sets on the first day of Ramadan, the friendly Muslims of South Africa will gather together in huge groups to eat elaborate Iftaar, dressed up in their best attire.

Many are able to enjoy eating Iftaar out, since there is an abundance of Halaal restaurants especially in Durban Capetown and Johannesburg.

Most of the Muslims living in South Africa are of Indian descent, because colonists brought their ancestors over from Gujurat and other regions of India to work on the sugar cane plantations and as laborers. They have been in South Africa for so many generations; their Iftaar is no longer just traditional Indian dishes, but is a mix of everything from pasta to curries to brownies.

Other Muslims came from Indonesia and Malaysia to reside in the Capetown area, where their traditional spices and cooking have found their way into mainstream Capetonian cuisine. The salty, seaside breezes of the Waterfront cape remind believers of the Greatness of their Creator.

Although the new government has been in place for more than a decade, one remnant of apartheid still remains. Mostly, everyone in South Africa has been brought up surrounded by his or her own kind of people, so communities still tend to keep to themselves, including Muslims from different backgrounds. Those of Indian, African, and Southeast Asian descent are slow to branch out and mingle with one other—an issue needing more attention, time and effort.