The tenth mosque to be visited was the Hamidia Mosque, commonly referred to as the Newtown Mosque. It is quite strategically located, alongside the Oriental Plaza as well as in close proximity to the Johannesburg CBD. Newtown over the years has experienced its fair share of urban decay, but the Mosque has stood by, always looking neat and beautiful.
This was the first time I had visited this Mosque despite passing by or frequenting the Oriental Plaza very often. Naughty me. I attended this Mosque during Zohr and what immediately struck me was the cosmopolitan nature of the worshippers attending. There were people from all different countries, including Somalia, South Africa, Pakistan , Zimbabwe and Malawi. I identifed this by reference to the languages I could hear, Urdu, Arabic, Malawi, Shangaan and Shona. Most of the people were either residing in or working in the areas surrounding. This observation was made primarily due to the different dress codes, Jeans and Ts vs Kurtas Vs Suits and Tie. I didnt get a chance to talk to many as most people came in, read their namaaz and seem to try and break the sound barrier to get back to work. The fact of the matter is that these people must be be given credit. Despite being busy, they still stopped to pray. Overall, If you would like to experience a cosmopolitan atmosphere and you in the vicinity of the Oriental Plaza, unlike me, make sure you visit.