1. The Ministerial Committee on the Efficient Management of the Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimages was established by former Minister GNM Pandor with the mandate to investigate complaints from the affected community regarding the administration and management of the annual Hajj pilgrimage by South African citizens; and to submit a report to the Minister following consultations with, inter alia, the Muslim community and relevant organisations, including SAHUC, SAMTAO, and the United Ulameh Council of South Africa (UUCSA), as well as constitutional bodies, in particular the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission). Its mandate did not include an oversight role. The oversight role resorts constitutionally under auspices of the chapter IX institution, i.e. the CRL Rights Commission which is constitutionally mandated to protect the rights of religious communities.
2. The Ministerial Committee fulfilled its mandate and presented its report to former Minister Pandor on 31 January 2024. DIRCO is constitutionally mandated to formulate, promote and execute South Africa’s foreign policy, i.e. government-to-government engagements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to provide consular assistance to South African citizens abroad.
3. The South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) was constituted by the community in 1995 in a process that was facilitated by the late Deputy Minister of the then Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr Aziz Pahad. The Cultural, Religious and Linguistics (CRL) Rights Commission is constitutionally mandated to protect the rights of religious communities.
COMPILER DETAILS
NAME AND SURNAME: Mr H Basson
CONTACT: [email protected] Ext : 11749
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Minister approves and signs the Parliamentary Reply to Parliamentary Question 191.
MR Z DANGOR
DIRECTOR–GENERAL: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
DATE:
PARLIAMENTARY REPLY 191 IS APPROVED / NOT APPROVED / AMENDED.
COMMENT/S
MR RO LAMOLA, MP
MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
DATE:
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