Having access to comfortable, accessible prayer facilities can make your journey smoother and more meaningful. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) provides dedicated prayer spaces at major South African airports, ensuring travellers can observe their faith with ease while on the move.
Prayer facilities are located at the following South African Airports: Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport, O.R. Tambo International Airport, and Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport.
Here are some of the facilities available:
Cape Town International Airport
Type of facilities: Muslim Prayer Facility (Jamat Khana) and Multi-Faith Prayer Room
Location: Both facilities are located at Parkade 2, Ground Floor, next to the South African Police Service (SAPS) station.
The Jamat Khana, opened in 2010, is an ACSA-owned facility that operates 24 hours a day. The facility accommodates both male and female worshippers, with ablution facilities for both. Friday (Jumuah) prayers are held in congregation and led by ACSA’s Imam, typically from 12:45pm to 1:45pm. Due to high attendance on Fridays, travellers are urged to arrive early. During Ramadan, dates are made available so fasting worshippers can break their fast in the evening.
O.R. Tambo International Airport
Type of facilities: Muslim Prayer Room and a Christian (Chapel) Prayer Room
Location: Parkade 1, Level 1 (International Arrivals Parking)
King Shaka International Airport
Type of facilities: Muslim Prayer Facility and Non-Denominational Prayer Facility
Locations: Muslim Prayer Facility: International Arrivals Hall (opposite the ATMs) Non-Denominational Prayer Facility: Terminal Operations Centre (Level 3), in the terminal building where Passenger Service, AMC, and IT are located.
Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport
Type of Facility: Muslim Prayer Room and Interdenominational Prayer Room
Location: Both facilities are located on the 1st floor, close to Wimpy Restaurant.
Other ACSA Airports
Due to the size of their facilities, Upington, Kimberley, and Bram Fischer airports do not have dedicated prayer facilities. Passenger movement at these airports is typically very quick, with minimal waiting periods.
A prayer facility is being considered for inclusion at George Airport as part of the terminal expansion project. At King Phalo Airport, passengers who need a quiet space for prayer are currently accommodated in the VIP lounge. Prayer facilities at King Phalo airport are part of the departure terminal projects currently underway, with completion expected in April 2027.
As Cape Town’s Muslim community welcomes the holy month of Ramadan, the city’s halal restaurants open their doors for specially curated iftar experiences, from buffets to set menus and everything in between.
This year, Ramadan in South Africa is expected to begin on the evening of Tuesday, 18 February 2026, with the first day of fasting on Wednesday, 19 February. The holy month will last 29 or 30 days, ending on or around 18 March 2026. Eid al-Fitr, the celebration marking the end of Ramadan, will take place between 19 and 20 March 2026.
Iftar, or Boeka (the Cape Malay term commonly used in Cape Town), marks the time when Muslims are allowed to eat and drink after a long day of fasting from dawn until sunset.
If you are looking for halal restaurants to break your fast or experience this tradition, here are some options:
126 Cape Kitchen & Cafe, Hyatt Regency Cape Town
Located on the ground floor of the Hyatt Regency Cape Town, 126 Cape Kitchen & Cafe is inspired by the rich traditions of Bo-Kaap. The restaurant offers a fusion of Malay and Indian flavours. Enjoy their iftar buffet from 6-10pm, featuring traditional dhaltjies and samoosas, an array of salads and sides, and mains like bobotie, butter chicken, Penang lamb curry, and briyani.
Prayer facilities are available at the hotel.
Location: 126 Buitengracht St, Cape Town City Centre Price: R350 for adults, kids under 12 pay half price. The à la carte menu will not be available. Contact: Visit www.hyattrestaurants.com
Barakat at Time Out Market Cape Town
Barakat at Time Out Market will be offering complimentary water and dates to all guests to break their fast-during the month of Ramadan. The special includes butter chicken, served with a choice of samoosa and traditional Boeber for dessert.
Location: The Old Power Station, Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Price: R160 for the butter chicken, including a samoosa and boeber. Contact: Visit www.instagram.com/barakat_tm
Cardamom Kitchen
If you’re on the go and want nourishing halal meals, Cardamom Kitchen has a selection of frozen meals, perfect for an easy iftar and suhoor. See the menu here.
Location: 14 Sergeant St, Rondebosch East, Cape Town Price: Various. Contact: 087 265 2262 or email info@cardamomkitchen.co.za
Bo-Kaap Deli, Bo-Kaap
Bo-Kaap Deli will be hosting iftar every Friday and Saturday from 5:30 pm to 10 pm. Guests can order from the menu and enjoy complimentary savouries and soup. A dedicated prayer area is available inside the restaurant.
Nouveau Coffee and Grill’s buffet experience is perfect for gathering with family and friends. Expect a generous spread featuring your choice of soups, a fresh salad selection, grilled queen prawns, a South Indian butter chicken, a Durban-inspired masala breyani, the pasta of the day,
and a variety of desserts to end on a sweet note. There is a dedicated prayer area at the restaurants for guests to use.
Location: Shop 3, Century Village Centre, Century City Price: R330 for guests over the age of 12, and R195 for children under 12. The à la carte menu will not be available. Contact: Visit nouveau.co.za
Cova Cafe, Sea Point
Get your matcha and coffee fix after you break your fast at Cova Cafe. The cafe has introduced their Ramadan Seasonal late-night hours from Thursday to Saturday, from 9.30pm-11.30pm. Falooda and Karak Tea will also be available.
Indulge in a traditional Syrian meal at Aladdin during iftar. The curated set menu offers a choice of signature dishes, including chicken kofta, beef shish kebab and ribs, tender lamb shank served with rice or mashed potatoes, succulent lamb chops, and a variety of flavorful chicken specialties. Your meal begins with complimentary soup, fresh dates, and water. The Coowatool Islam Mosque is located across the road, making it convenient for guests to perform their evening prayers after their meal.
Location: 210 Loop St, Cape Town City Centre Price: R210pp. Contact: Call +27 63 065 7064
Alhambra Restaurant, Lansdowne
Indulge in a three-course dinner every Friday and Saturday during Ramadan at Alhambra. Start by choosing from a variety of delicious starters, then move on to hearty mains like creamy Alfredo pasta, tender sirloin, flavourful chicken and prawn dishes, juicy lamb chops, or a
generous seafood paella. Be sure to leave room for something sweet to round it all off. You’ll also be treated to a samoosa, a halfmoon, a koeksister, a date, and a refreshing falooda shot. The Masjid Al-Furqaan Mosque is within close vicinity. Booking is essential.
Location: 409 Imam Haron Rd, Lansdowne Price: From R220pp. A kiddies’ menu will be available. Contact: Call +27 21 697 1214 or visit: al-hambra.co.za/
On The Square at The Capetonian
On The Square at The Capetonian is going all out with a daily Ramadan Iftaar Buffet. Break your fast the traditional way with dates, followed by the chef’s soup of the day served with freshly baked breads and a cold buffet. When it’s time for mains, enjoy the chef’s curry of the day (beef or mutton) with basmati rice, flavourful Kabsa Mandi, grilled spicy chicken shiwaya, comforting roasts, pasta dishes, and fish. Finish off with decadent desserts, fresh fruit, and bottomless tea and coffee.
Location: Pier Place, Heerengracht St, Foreshore Price: R275 per person for adults and half price for children under 12. Website:capetonian.co.za/dining-on-the-square/
“What a gift,” Vanessa, 43, wrote via her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, December 30, sharing a screenshot from End of an Era. “We love you @taylorswift 💙!!!!!!”
As Swift, 36, practiced an acoustic section mashup ahead of one of her last Eras Tour concerts in Canada, she was dressed in a blue Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation sweatshirt. (Kobe’s widow founded the organization after her husband and daughter Gianna tragically died in a 2020 helicopter crash, along with six other people.)
In a follow-up slide, Vanessa posted another pic of Swift wearing her Mamba merch and added a “We [heart] you” sticker, alongside one of an illustrated pair of hands making a heart like Swift’s Fearless symbol.
Swift has a long history with the Bryant family, starting in 2015 when she enlisted Kobe to join her onstage during the Los Angeles stop on her 1989 Tour. Kobe even presented the pop star with a banner honoring her record 16 sold-out shows at the same venue where his Lakers played home games.
Kobe died at age 41 five years later in a helicopter crash alongside 13-year-old daughter Gianna. (Kobe and Vanessa also shared daughters Natalia, Bianka and Capri.)
“My heart is in pieces hearing the news of this unimaginable tragedy. I can’t fathom what the families are going through,” Swift tweeted in 2020 after the NBA icon’s death. “Kobe meant so much to me and to us all. Sending my prayers, love, and endless condolences to Vanessa and the family and anyone who lost someone on that flight.”
Swift remained close to Vanessa and her family in the years since Kobe and Gianna’s deaths. When the Bryants attended Swift’s Eras show in L.A. in August 2023, Bianka received the “22” hat.
Taylor SwiftCourtesy of Vanessa Bryant/Instagram
“Every person in that audience, hopefully, is being shaped positively in some way by something that they see or something that they hear,” Swift explained of the tradition in her Disney+ docuseries. “The ‘22’ moment stems from a hat that I wore on the Red Tour, so I wanted to really bring back that moment of just kinda, like, [having] a moment with a fan where I actually get close with them.”
While performing “22,” Swift sashayed down her catwalk to give her Red-inspired fedora to a waiting concertgoer.
“What’s so interesting about that moment every night is I never know what kid I’m gonna meet,” the Grammy winner said. “I’ve got people in the audience, scouring the crowd for the first couple of eras, trying to find a kid who knows every single word to the songs and having the time of their lives at this show.”
According to Swift, the lucky child chosen is “basically a representative of every kid in that crowd.”
“It could be, like, a little kid that gets really shy when all of a sudden they’re seeing 60,000 people for the first time or, it could be, there are kids that bloom under the bright lights and they’re just, like, ‘I’m a pop star now.’ It’s always wild to be in this moment with this person that I’ve never met before, this little kid, and everything’s going on around us and somehow we’re able to just have this moment be completely between us.”
Taylor Swift: The End of an Era is now streaming on Disney+.
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