By Oyisa George
The Mowbray Muslim Cemetery Board election will go ahead this Sunday, with 53 candidates cleared to contest 11 positions under court oversight.
The election follows a lengthy legal dispute over the governance of the cemetery and is being overseen by an independent panel appointed by the court.
Speaking to VOC News, Independent Panel Chairperson Attorney Ighsaan Higgins says the initial plan to shortlist 22 candidates was changed after the panel considered the number and quality of nominations.
“There were so many good candidates on that list that reducing it to 22 would have been a grave injustice to many of those candidates,” Higgins says.
He says the panel subsequently approached the court for a directive allowing all eligible nominees to contest.
Higgins also rejected claims that candidates had not been verified, saying nominees submitted biographies which were considered in good faith.
“We regard the bios as authentic, and given to us in good faith,” he says.
Higgins says independent observers will also be invited to monitor the voting and counting process to strengthen transparency.
Photo: VOCfm
