Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 2013-07-13

A request by the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) to the Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia for an increase in the quota for South African hujjaj has been declined.
 
Below is the press release by The Minister of Hajj Dr. Bandar bin Mohammad Hajjar which has been translated from Arabic to English.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN HAJJ AND UMRAH COUNCIL

Assalaam Alaykum Warrahmatullaahie Wabarakatu

Regarding the signing of the Protocol between the Hajj Ministry and the South African Hajj & Umrah Council and the preparation for Hajj 1434, the meeting that was held where the South African delegation requested an additional 2500 to be added to the official quota which is 2500 to be a total of 5000 Hujjaaj.
 
We would like to inform you regarding the letter no. 333 previously sent, dated the 23/7/1434, regarding the capacity of the mataaf that was reduced due to the construction of expanding the mataaf in the Haram Shareef that it could not accommodate those big volumes of Hujjaaj.

We asked all the countries to reduce their quota by 20% from their official quota. Therefore your request to increase the quota could not be granted. Even the Islamic countries who asked for an increase in their quota were also rejected. No increases will be granted until the expansion project by the government of the custodian of the two holy mosques and the expansion of the two Harams and the Mashaaer is completed in the near future by the Will of Allah (S.W.A)

Therefore, the department responsible for the increasing of the quotas in Saudi Arabia begins by apologizing for not being able to grant the request to increase the quota and we would like the South African Hajj and Umrah Council to strictly adhere to their official quota for this year which is 2000 for the hajj season 1434.
 
We appreciate your co-operation and understanding and we ask Almighty Allah (S.W.A.) to grant the guests of Allah a Hajj Mabroor and Thamban Maghfoor.

Accept our appreciation in this matter.

The Minister of Hajj, Dr. Bandar bin Mohammad Hajjar