Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-04-11

A controversial new rule in the new Draft National Road Traffic Law Enforcement Code barring traffic officers from having a beard has been gazetted in seven provinces.

This new code would affect Muslim males who have a beard and are hoping to work for the country's traffic law enforcement department.

The Muslim community have been urged to provide public input on the controversial new regulation.

Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) are amongst those who have come out against the rule, with spokesperson Nabeweya Malick saying the body was concerned over the “infringement of rights” according to an article by Voice of the Cape.

Having dealt with numerous cases of a similar nature, Malick said the MJC were aware of the difficulties Muslims could face should the law be put into place. The ulama body have already consulted with the department on the issue and were now looking to make a submission, once the 30-day window period for public comments opened.

“We feel that the basic rights of citizens and human beings will definitely be infringed upon, because people have certain conditions, and it is an integral feeling people have when they wear a beard. It is not something that is dispensable, or something they want to remove should they get a post with the traffic department,” she said.

According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the new regulations were meant to set “norms and standards” for all South African traffic officers.

RTMC deputy director-general Gilberto Martins said they aimed to “create a 21st century traffic officer”. The 478-page document outlines everything from how officers should look after firearms to how they should dress.

Making reference to Guantanamo Bay, where detainees had their beards forcibly removed, Mallick said it would create an enormous amount of shame and humiliation upon the individual.

Mallick noted there was a trend in the US and UK to streamline the police force, to have a certain image and look. South Africans were looking to replicate this locally.

“If one takes it a little further and looks at how the US profiles people with beards, and how people are categorised into certain groups, it obviously raises even more concerns for us in South Africa. If the beard is seen as something that is not acceptable, then it raises serious concerns as to how our government and country is aligning itself,” she said.

She however admitted the department had not given an official reason as to why beards would be banned.

Malick urged community members to lodge a submission against the rule, once the window period opened. Any complaints could be sent to the MJC, which would be forward on to the Road Traffic Management Corporation.

“It is important for our public to take action and to do something about it, because inevitably it is going to affect them. We are concerned if we allow this to go through, people will definitely have their rights infringed upon, and it might become a national trend, where the beard is not seen as something acceptable in South African society,” she said. – VOC 

(Twitter: @Faizie143)