Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 05-09-2016
With temperatures expected to reach between 45 and 50 degrees in ‘Arafah in Saudi Arabia, the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) has told Radio Islam that it is fully aware that South Africa is the only African non-Arab speaking country in the world that have opted for no air-conditioned camps for non-special services during hajj.
According to SAHUC, at least 1,200 of the 1950 hujjaj currently in the kingdom are expected to use the non-air-conditioned ‘Camp C’ on the desert plain on Sunday.
Camp A+, B+ and C+ have air-conditioners and water coolers but are part of the special services with an additional cost on hajj packages sold to hujjaj.
SAHUC’s head of missions Ismail Kholvadia says after signing the 1437 hajj protocols with Saudi authorities in April this year, South African hajj operators were repeatedly urged to book camps with air-conditioners in ‘Arafah at a reduced cost from the Saudi authorities.
Kholvadia says SAHUC does not make the decision of choosing the camps, therefore it was the hajj operators which declined the offer numerous times initially indicating it was either too expensive or that hujjaj would not be able to pay the fee at this late stage in order to enjoy the air-conditioning facilities.
He says SAHUC was shocked by the decision taken by the operators and is not aware if the 1,200 non-special services hujjaj were informed by the agents that they would not have air-conditioned camps in ‘Arafah during the scorching temperatures.
“We came back with the proposal that Muassasa gave us and we then sent it out to all the operators. With that we sent a motivation, a doctors letter attached to that the reason why SAHUC recommends they should go with the aircon on Arafat.”
Kholvadia says SAHUC does not have the power to take any decisions at the moment as the 5 days of hajj begins on Saturday.
“What we can basically do is inform the hujjaj that it’s going to be a daunting task. We need to hydrate ourselves and the board (SAHUC) will have to make the decision after hajj as to what is the future as far as these camps are concerned.”
Kholvadia says while there had never been air-conditioned camps at ‘Arafah before, the Muasassasa, based on the experiences of hajj 1436 decided to make the facility available due to the extreme heat factor.
Last year a number of hujjaj suffered heat exhaustion in ‘Arafah where temperatures soared well above the 50-degree mark.
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