MUSLIM IMPACT ON SA

Muslim contribution to the world in every way is largely ignored. Here are some more notes on Muslim influence in South Africa:
The earliest African settlements in SA were in the Mapungubwe area in Eastern Transvaal around the 11th century. This settlement had links with the Arab Muslim trading station at Sofala, Mozambique.
Estimates of Muslims in SA range around a million with 45% Malay and 45% Indian.
Pathan Muslims from Afghanistan/Pakistan were brought to fight for the British in the Abglo-Boer War.
Between 1873-80 Britain brought hundreds of rescued Muslim slaves from East Africa as labourers. Their descendants still live in SA and are called Zanzibaris.
Muslim slaves were brought from Malaysia, East and West Africa, South India and Sri Lanka. They became known as Malays.
Muslim traders and labourers came to Natal from India in the late 19th century. They are called Indians.
The discovery of gold attracted Muslim workers from Malawi and Mozambique in the early 1900’s. They came in their hundreds.
There are over 400 Musjids in SA.
There are over 400 Muslim organisations.
Muslims have radio stations, newspapers, schools and Madresas.
General De la Rey (leader of the Boer army) built a shop for Ajam Abed, a Muslim, in Lichtenburg in the Boer Republic of Transvaal while many Muslims were stilll staying in the British colonies in SA. Ajam Abed in turn helped protect Afrikaners including De la Rey’s family from British atrocities in the Anglo-Boer War.