Publications
Partners
- The Muslim Judicial Council has called for a load shedding reprieve for Eid.
- The religious day, which will take place this weekend, marks the end of the holy month of Ramadaan.
- The MJC argues that load shedding was suspended over Christmas and Easter.
The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has called on President Ramaphosa and the Minister of Electricity to halt load shedding for Eid this weekend.
In an open letter to the president and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the MJC asked whether the lights could remain on when Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Fitr this weekend.
The celebration marks the end of the holy month of Ramadaan and is a "period of profound spirituality, joy, and a time to be with family and friends", the MJC said.
"Families will congregate, cook family meals, and share in the essence of joy and togetherness. The prevalence of load shedding these days will impede Muslims from experiencing the full extent of such quality family time through rather obvious manifestations of load shedding," the MJC said.
It added that load shedding had led to a sense of dejection among South Africans, especially when they were "unable to experience the full extent of their religious holidays".
"It is a widely known fact that the ramifications of load shedding in all spheres of the lives of South Africans is devastating. We believe that apart from the physical repercussions of load shedding, many South Africans experience a sense of despondency, if not accompanied by melancholic expression when having to traverse the dark avenue of load shedding and all that it brings with it," the MJC said.
It also argued that load shedding had been suspended to accommodate the Christmas and Easter Christian holidays.
READ | If load shedding is at Stage 8, nobody has mentioned it, says 'brutally honest' electricity minister
"The Muslim community of South Africa expects to spend this time of Eid unbridled by the implications so imposed by the impediment of load shedding," it added.
In response to the open letter, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said it was "inappropriate to address such a request" to the president.
"The president does not regulate, nor is he operationally responsible for, the management of load shedding schedules," he said.
