‘We were not consulted’

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Businessman Moosa Seedat, a resident in the area since 2011, said it was time a mosque was built in Ballito. “I travel to Kwadukuza or Shakaskraal to pray.”

He did not understand “what the fuss is about”, saying the mosque would be built on a small part of the large park.

Di Jones, chairperson of the Dolphin Coast Conservancy, said no one had specifically objected to the building of a mosque. “The Islamic organisation has already said they won’t observe the loud-speaker call for prayer, so no noise disturbance. The problem is there has been no public participation process. My concern is there is very little open space in Ballito.

“There is an area of conservation and biodiversity in the park called the ‘butterfly park’. On the other side of the park is where people play football. I would like to know where this (mosque) is being planned,” she said.

A Ballito father of two, who did not want to be named, said residents near Townsend Park were not consulted about the mosque or shown plans for it. “The park is in active use and people value the quiet. The roads are narrow and would not support lots of traffic. There is also a misconception that people are upset it is a mosque. The same outcry would exist if it was a temple, another church or a coffee shop because the locals really like the park and the green space. I think had a better process been followed, there would have been far less of an outcry.”