About 2 500 pilgrims from South Africa are expected to perform Hajj in 2023. Photo: iStock
The South African Hajj & Umrah Council (SAHUC) said it cannot afford to extend deadlines for South African Hajj pilgrims to make their final choices for the selection of an accredited Hajj travel operator due to the deadlines imposed by Saudi Arabia’s Hajj and Umrah Ministry.
This comes after a group of six travel operators (Al Safir, Al Massi Nujoom, Umrah Tours & Nuris Travel, Shafigs Travel, Al Anwar Haji & Umrah and Yasmine’s Travel) took the Hajj body to court after they were declined Hajj accreditation status due to what Sahuc called “non-compliance with procedures”.
According to Sahuc, the operator applications were opened in November 2022 to Muslim travel operators from South Africa, to apply for Hajj season 2023.
It said the closing date was 15 December 2022 at 5pm (SA time) with official notices sent to prospective Hajj operators stipulating that no late and incomplete applications would be considered.
Sahuc secretary-general Hassan Choonara said only 19 out of 28 travel operators applied to be accredited Hajj travel operators.
“Twelve operators either submitted incomplete application documents or submitted their application documents after the stipulated closing date and time. Sahuc informed the 12 operators, in writing, that their applications were unsuccessful.
“On 31 January 2023, six of the 12 travel operators filed an urgent application at the Western Cape High Court for a hearing which was held on Friday 3 February 2023,” Choonara said.
Choonara added that the court issued a graft order stating that Sahuc and the operators had reached an out of court settlement on the matter with an agreement to give all six operators an appeal hearing to state why they should not be excluded from the accreditation list.
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Choonara said all six travel operators were granted leave to appeal the Hajj body’s ruling.
“Based on the court application of these six operators, they were granted leave to appeal their application and the appeal was unsuccessful. The reason given for declining their application is as follows: non-fulfilment of incumbent application criteria and late submission after the closing date.”
Choonara said currently there are only seven accredited travel operators pilgrims can choose from.
“To the accredited Hujaaj, we have only seven accredited Hajj operators: Khidmatul Awaam; Harvey World Travel Evans Park, Harvey World Travel Lenasia, XL Flywell, Travel & Tour World, World of Travel and Yusra Tours.
“Closing date for Hujaaj to select an accredited operator is 24 February 2023 by 18h30,” Choonara said.
Choonara said Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has imposed strict deadlines for Hajj.
“We cannot afford to extend timelines any further due to deadlines we have in place as per the Ministry of Hajj & Umrah requirements.”
“We have also requested an additional quota and any further delays in timelines would mean that the Ministry of Hajj & Umrah may not consider providing South Africa an increase as we have not yet filled our current quota allocation. Due to court case, we have been put back by two weeks already in release of further accreditation list,” Choonara said.
South Africa has been granted a quota of 2 500 that will be allowed to perform the pilgrimage in 2023 or the Islamic year 1444.
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