While the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) protocol team continues to engage in meetings with the Ministry of Hajj in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the hajj regulatory body has confirmed that South Africa has been granted an additional quota of one thousand hujjaaj for Hajj 2018.
SAHUC president Moulana Mohamed Vaid explains that the quota is only specific to the forth coming hajj, the interim quota increasing from 2,500 to 3,500.
“This is great news for the South African Muslim public that we are all elated with,” Vaid stated.
The decision follows a protocol signing meeting with the Hajj Ministry in the Kingdom on Thursday.
Vaid says all efforts will be made to ensure that all South African hujjaaj are accommodated within the same area in Mina.
“In the event that logistically the extra 1,000 cannot be accommodated on the plains of Mina, they will be accommodated outside of the borders of Mina.”
In addition to the quota, the protocol meetings also focussed on the e-Hajj system, which has been implemented in the last five years.
“This is only to see how the logistical arrangements in accommodating the hujjaaj can be streamlined and more effective processes can be [implemented] for deliverance of services,” Vaid continued.
All contracts and payments need to be made in full prior to the closure of the e-Hajj system.
Vaid says that the e-Hajj system closes on Sha’baan 28, which corresponds to the May 14, 2018.
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