Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2013-12-30

Hundreds of mu'tamireen (pilgrims) intending to embark on the journey of umrah have been left stranded after a Cape Town travel agent allegedly swindled them out of their hard earned money.

Travel agent, Sheikh Faizel Karstens is at the centre of a legal battle after he failed to deliver the umrah services the mu'tamireen paid for.

The Albertus family, who forked out more than R300 000 for the trip, secured a temporary court order against Karstens last week after attempts to contact the travel operator failed according to an article on Independent Online.

Thaabit Albertus said he and 17 of his relatives, several of them young children, had been booked to leave last Tuesday for Saudi Arabia, for their visit to Makkah.

Albertus said they became suspicious when, on the departure date, they had yet to receive communication about their itinerary.

“When, on December 24, it became clear that (the tour operators) were not going to meet their obligations in terms of our agreement, we were forced to take this course of action to protect our rights and those of all the other pilgrims.”

Albertus said they were granted an urgent order by the Western Cape High Court against Karstens and Al Faisal Travel and Tours for the return of their passports, with their visas.

The court has also interdicted the umrah operator from accessing its bank account pending the next court date, set for January 21, when the matter is to be heard. “We had no alternative but to do this to ensure money would not continue to flow out of the business to the detriment of those who received absolutely no benefit after parting with their hard-earned cash,” Albertus said.

Although the family had not filed a complaint with police, he could not “exclude this possibility, depending on how the matter unravels”.

Albertus said that most of the travellers were devastated when they discovered they would not be leaving. “Many people were tearful and in shock. Some pilgrims have attempted to contact Karstens for compensation, to no avail.”

Representing the family, Suleiman Chotia, of J Ramages Attorneys, said Karstens had until January 21 to show cause why the order should not be made final.

Chotia said a further 13 people were joining the court action against Al Faisal Travel and Tours.

Hajj Watch spokesman Jakes Rawat urged those affected to contact the organisation and expose unscrupulous operators. “They have lost money, and the opportunity to make the journey of a lifetime, all because there was no protection and proper regulations to protect them.”
 
“What we need is strong regulation. There should be a guarantee that if there is a failure of delivery, pilgrims will get their money back,” he said.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)