Sayed Mohamed Sheikh Abdurahman Matebe, a Malay from the west coast of Sumatra, landed at the Cape in January 1667 as a prisoner of the Dutch East India Company.

 

After working as a slave all his life, he was buried at Nova Constantia. In 1920 wealthy Malay from Bombay discovered the neglected grave and commissioned architect Kendall, a partner of Herbert Baker, to design a kramat as his shrine. When we were appointed to restore the Kramat, it had been spoilt by additions and alterations. Vandalism and the roots of an adjoining large wild fig had led to the degeneration of the whole erf.

 

A curator’s building and preparation rooms were added with a suitable parterre garden and water canal linking the entrance to the Kramat.