Cape Town - Five hundred South African Muslims face postponing their hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca in Saudi Arabia this year.
Saudi authorities have cut this year’s hajj quota by 20 percent because there is less space available as renovations to the Grand Mosque in Mecca will not be finished when the hajj starts in October.
Once it is completed, many more pilgrims will be able to be accommodated.
Hajj is one of five pillars of Islam and compulsory for Muslims who are financially and physically able. Every year about 3 million Muslims perform the hajj.
Following negotiations in April with the Saudi Minister of Hajj, the SA Hajj and Umrah Council (Sahuc) was given a quota for 2 500 South Africans to perform the Hajj this year.
Council general secretary Shaheen Essop said it learned on June 3 that the Saudis had cut all quotas by 20 percent.
“The reduction of quotas is for the whole world,” he said on Monday.
Essop said of the 2 500 prospective South African pilgrims already accredited to travel to Mecca, 500 would be told they could no longer go.
“De-accreditation will be done on the basis of last in, first out. But we will also ask people to consider voluntary de-accreditation. Those who volunteer will be first to be considered next time,” he said.
Sahuc was consulting the Department of International Affairs and Co-operation (Dirco) to ascertain what could be done to have the Saudi authorities reconsider South Africa’s quota, Essop said.
“We are always hopeful. I can’t give a definite answer, but we’ll have clarity in the next two weeks. Allah knows best,” he said about when local Muslims would get an answer.
“This development is beyond the control of Sahuc. We urge the community, especially the affected hajji, to exercise patience,” Essop said.
Jakes Rawat, a spokesman for lobby group Hajj Watch, said the cut in South Africa’s quota was a matter Dirco, and not Sahuc, should deal with.
“This is another test to see whether our government has the interests of the community at heart. Our government needs to step up. We voted for this government and it is time we see who is calling the shots - Sahuc or Dirco,” he said.
Rawat said it was a terrible prospect for 500 people to be told they could not longer go and Hajj Watch would advise them to sue Sahuc.
“Do whatever is possible to go to court. You got the go-ahead (to travel for hajj) from Sahuc and now they are taking it back while there has been no disclaimer to this effect.”
Essop refused to be drawn on Rawat’s comments.
Dirco spokesman Clayson Monyela could not be reached.
Cape Times