As the Coronavirus spreads across the world including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) says they are waiting for information about whether hajj 2020 will be cancelled.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Kingdom has risen to 2,402 while the pandemic has claimed 34 lives.

Last week Hajj Minister Dr. Muhammad Saleh Benten urged Muslims from all countries to wait until there is more clarity about COVID-19 before confirming hajj contracts for 2020.

Speaking to Radio Islam, Sahuc president Shaheen Essop says South Africa can’t make a decision about hajj without the go ahead from the Hajj Minsitry or their counterparts in Saudi Arabia.

“At the end of the day we are the guests of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia when we do embark on this journey for hajj. And as a result of which we need to pay close attention to currently what is going on in that particular country. Every little bit of news we get with regards to COVID is as important to them as it is to us and everybody else around the world who is yearning to go for hajj this year.”

Essop says from Sahuc’s side, they have completed most internal processes including filling their quota.

However, he says the economic situation in South Africa has created a huge impact on the affordability of hajj.

“If you look at the deterioration in the value of our currency, that tells me that there is going to be a serious dropout if hajj is still going to go ahead because of affordability situation. That is a major problem that we are going to be faced with. So, it is a double-edged sword that we as South Africans are faced with as result of a situation that we find ourselves from an economic point of view as well as waiting for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to make the determination.”

Essop says while they are working with the hajj operators and legal teams to find a way around the economic impact of COVID-19, travel agents do have a currency fluctuation clause in their packages and how would this will impact on them.

Faizel Patel

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)