Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 2013-06-20

The United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) has been warned to desist from using its own name by an organization that operates out of Port Elizabeth and De Deur, claiming that it has registered UUCSA as its registered trademark.

Below is a press release titled ‘Name Stealing-Day Light Robbery’ from UCCSA detailing the issue.

The bizarre unauthorized use and ‘hijack’ of our name ‘United Ulama Council of South Africa’ (UUCSA) should best be treated as a crude joke if it was not for such a shameless misrepresentation.

The ‘hijack’ of our name has been tersely conveyed to us in a letter that states: “Be informed that the name, United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) is a legally registered trade mark for the exclusive use of our Organization.”

UUCSA is the brainchild of our illustrious elders which include the likes of Moulana Cassim Sema, Moulana Yunus Patel, Moulana Abdur Razzaq, Sheik Naziem Mohammed, Ml Yusuf Karan and Moulana Abbas Jeena. It was formally constituted as far back as 1994 in order to deal with national matters affecting the Ummah and to engage government with a united voice.

The alleged, mala fide, registration of the name is the work of the same syndicate that thrives by creating deception, confusion and division within the Ummah through its offensive publications.Is this unauthorized use of our name a desperate attempt to piggyback on the goodwill and reputation generated by our name or a nasty attempt to create deception and confusion within the ranks of the Muslim community?

The syndicate has already produced pamphlets using our name in furtherance of their campaign attacking the authenticity of Halaal certified poultry and the need for the legal recognition of Muslim marriages. Is this syndicate so unsure of its own credibility that it has to masquerade as “UUCSA” to get its message across to the public? The Ummah is obliged to be more circumspect and discerning when assaulted with publications bearing our name. We have a distinct logo and do not use Port Elizabeth or De Deur as our postal address.

Despite repeated provocation from the syndicate in the past we have opted not to resort to gutter pamphleteering in the interest of the Ummah. We now have no alternative but to challenge the unauthorized use of our name with all the resources at our disposal.

UNITED ULAMA COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA – (Established 1994)
20 June 2013