Happy Eid Mubarak

Monday, June 26, 2017

Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma has wished the Muslim community in South Africa a happy Eid ul-Fitr.

This is an important religious occasion celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

"We join our Muslim compatriots to celebrate the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, and we wish all Muslims, Eid Mubarak," President Zuma said on Monday.

Addressing an Eid prayer and celebrations in Lenasia in Gauteng this morning, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa encouraged leaders to approach political office as a long period of fasting, self-sacrifice, and service to the poor.

Deputy President Ramaphosa encouraged South Africans to adopt the universal values of love, peace, truth, giving, generosity and tolerance.

“And these are universal human values upon which we need to anchor our new society. By embracing and applying these traits consistently, we can root out the high levels of poverty that confront many South Africans.

“We can provide quality education and create decent jobs for millions of young people who are out of school and out of work,” he said.

He said the celebration of Eid ul-Fitr coincides with the adoption of the Freedom Charter on the 26th of June 1955 in Kliptown.

“We continue to pay tribute to the role South African Muslims - such as the late Ahmed Kathrada - played in our struggle for freedom and to the role you are playing today in securing a better life for all South Africans,” Deputy President Ramphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za