A college on the South Coast has shut down after a fire destroyed a building following a protest by students, who said they were opposed to the imposition of strict Islamic religious and cultural rules.
The Coastal KZN As-Salaam further education and training campus closed after more than 500 students protested that they were forced to study the Qur’an and wear Islamic garments, while males were banned from wearing shorts.
During the protest at the South Coast site last week, a building caught fire.
On Wednesday the management held a meeting with parents where campus principal Ebrahim Majam announced that the dormitories, which accommodated about 70 students, would be closed permanently.
Non-Muslim students complained that their Christian religion was not tolerated and that they were not allowed to wear clothes that exposed any part of their bodies, other than the face and hands.
Nor were they allowed to read the Bible, they said.
But the campus management said Islamic rules were enforced because the Department of Higher Education was renting the building to the As-Salaam organisation, which promoted Islamic education.
Zaid Langa, who is in charge of student accommodation and Islamic studies, denied that students were forced to follow the religion. But he admitted that they were compelled to attend prayer meetings and to dress “decently”.
“This is an Islamic area, so everyone should respect it and dress accordingly. The Bible has not been banned because in our library we have holy books from various religions. Students should attend the prayer meeting, but they are not forced to pray,” he said.
But student representative council member Dudu Mdluli said: “The Bible is not allowed inside the institution and we are forced to read the Qur’an. We are made to study the Qur’an and write tests.”
Students were compelled to attend 30-minute prayers five times a day as well as one-hour Qur’an lessons twice a day.
It is believed that the department’s National Student Financial Aid Scheme pays R16 000 per student a year to As-Salaam for meals and accommodation.
Some parents believed that students should learn to live with the practices, while others felt the institution should allow diversity of religion.
The management said parents and students had to sign and agree to a list of rules.
Majam said the As-Salaam Institute had decided to shut down the dormitories to protect them from vandalism.
“Parents who need accommodation for children should contact the management,” he said.
SA Human Rights Commission spokesman Vincent Moaga said that the complaints would have to be investigated before he could comment.
Higher Education spokeswoman Vuyelwa Qinga said that she would only be able to comment once her department had spoken to the management and parents. - The Mercury
