CHAPTER 4 HAJJ AND FINANCE
4.5 SAHUC AND FINANCE
identification since their passports are kept with the Mu'assasah (hajj officials) in Mecca.8
In 1998, SAHUC put a clinic in place in Mecca. Two doctors from Johannesburg and a nurse were sent to Mecca to assist the hajjis who were ill. Though SAHUC had paid for their travel expenses and accommodation, their services were voluntary. In the year 2000, as the hajjis were paying a higher administration fee, the medical team increased to four doctors and four nurses. Several doctors as well as nurses who were on hajj at the time had also rendered voluntary services at SAHUCs clinic on a part-time basis. As a member of SAHUC, Dr vAziz Adams84 initiated a vaccination clinic at SAHUCs offices, (which was funded by himself) not only as a convenience for the hajjis, but also with the idea of ploughing all the vaccination profits into SAHUCs coffers. His intention was to pay the "medical mission" a small salary with the profits earned from the vaccinations.
In 1936, when Abu Bakr Van Der Schyff went to Mecca with the Rosandra Italian Liner, the hajjis did not pay for any vaccinations.86 Hajji Mohammed Hanief Allie87 who went on hajj in 1948, also did not pay for any vaccinations. He remembers that the Government Department of Health handled the vaccinations at the Wynberg court.88
However, in 1954, Hajji Hajar Gallant paid a pound (two rand) for vaccinations before she went on hajj. The Government Department of Health used to manage the vaccinations until the year 2000. During this period the government charged R50-00 for the yellow fever and R50-00 for meningitis vaccinations.90 In the year 2000, according to Dr.
Adams, the yellow fever vaccination was R75-00 and meningitis vaccination R25-00.
Currently, yellow fever cost approximately R250-00 and meningitis R150-00.91
Recently the Islamic Medical Association (IMA) has been organising the medical team in Saudi Arabia, which consists of six doctors and four nurses. The IMA had initially given a quotation to SAHUC of R300, 000 to administer the clinic in Mecca and in Medina.
After a discussion on this matter, it finally agreed to accept an amount of R292, 000. It is believed that in 2005, the IMA had paid the head of the medical team R20, 000 per month and another doctor R15, 000 per month for their medical services rendered in Mecca. While certain nurses had received up to R10,000 per month for their services.
Mahomed Farid Choonara, a founder member of SAHUC, and currently a executive member of SAHUC felt that it would be incumbent for the founding fathers of SAHUC, (that is-its founder members) and the Department of Foreign Affairs to meet, review and re-evaluate SAHUCs role and function, more so, now with a current fee of R400-00 being levied per hajji which inflates SAHUCs financial coffers to R3, 000 000 per annum. With this kind of money, SAHUC needs to be much more professional with fulltime persons and a fulltime CEO that would ensure sound administration of SAHUCs affairs and delivery of services to the hajjis. According to him, dependence on "volunteer work and service" and part-time national office bearers and ad-hoc national and regional decision making processes is no longer an option within SAHUC.93
Besides purchasing an air ticket, paying in advance for hotel accommodation to the hajj operator/travel agent, the hajji has to pay for a passport which is organised by "the Department Home Affairs" currently at a cost of approximately Rl 50-00. The hajji also has to pay tanazzul, which has been included in the hajj operator/travel agent's cost/or part of the package. The cost of tanazzul is currently (2005) 1029 Saudi riyal (Rl, 769- 00) for adults and for children less than 12 years of age half of the adult price.94
SAHUC has asked the hajj operators/travel agents to collect the tanazzul fees which they hand over to the United Agents at the airport. The tanazzul fees cover the travel expenses of the hajjis while they are in the Kingdom. If a hajji decides to travel by air from Jeddah to Medina, he/she would be refunded at the Jeddah airport, but if the hajji decides to do the "walking hajj", he/she would not be refunded.
Recently, "special services", has been introduced for pilgrims. For an additional 500 riyals (R860-00) the hajji would be provided with a tent with special facilities, including a blanket, mattress and with meals at Mina in a spot situated close to the jamarat (stones that symbolise Satan)96
According to Ebrahim Ismail (Ismavil), secretary general of SAHUC:
"Food in Mecca is fairly cheap. One can have a good meal for five to seven riyals at the Pakistani outlets. I have already witnessed four people who had a meal, for which they had paid ten riyals only. Tea and beverages are still the same price what it used to be 15 to 20 years ago - one to two riyals. One can comfortably live in Mecca on 300 riyals per month, of course excluding hotel accommodation. Cell phone cards are freely available in the streets, but one would have to pay 100 riyals more than what you would pay at the post offices -for example if one buys a 200 riyal card, then one has to pay 300 riyals. However, it is still comparatively cheaper than what one would pay in South Africa. Hotels in Mecca cannot be compared with those in South Africa. A Hotel in Mecca, which is known as a four star hotel, would perhaps be regarded in South Africa as a two star hotel.
Previously the hajj operators used to pay per room; currently they are paying for the amount of beds that are installed in a room. Because the South African hajjis
spend six weeks to two months in Mecca, they pay relatively cheap for hotel accommodations than those hajjis who only spend approximately ten days in Mecca for hajj.' ,97
Photo: M H Ebrahim
Ebrahim Ismail Secretary-General of SAHUC
Figure 2. Escalation of Average Hajj Package Costs98
Travel Agent
Thomas Cook Thomas Cook Union Castle Liner Traylors Travel Services Charter Marine Agencies Goolams Travel Service Goolams Travel Service Parkers Travel Parker's Travel
Date
1936 1947 1958 1960 1961 1964 1969 1970 1971
Flight Cost
R320
Boat Cost
R40 R70 R148 R157 R388 R288 R406 R425
Bayt/Hotel Cost
140 150 R150 R200 R2O0 R200 R200 R200 R170
Total
R180 R220 R298 R375 R588 R488 R604 R625 R490
Kasker's Travel Parkers Travel Agencies Booley's Travel Embassy Travel Rasool's Travel Boeties Travel Flywell Travel Agencies Booley's Travel Services Rasool's Travel Flywell Travel Four Seasons Travel Thomas Cook Rasools Travel Services Muallim Suliman Mimish Four Seasons Travel Travel Unlimted Jet Wings Travel & Tours Rasools Travel Services S & S Travel
Wembley Travel & tours Rasools Travel Services Go Far Travels Flywell Travel Status Travel Services Wembley Travel & Tours Rasool's Travel Odyssey Travel Classique Travel Shafiq's Hajj & Umrah Travel Unlimited Jacksons Travel & Tours Travel Unlimited Yasmin's Travel & Tours Al-Anwar Hajj & "Umrah Group
1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
R378 R345 R590 R560 R709 R675 R750 R671 R890 R1289 R1239 R1500 R l 500.
R1650 R 1 8 0 0 R2 249.
R2 771.
R2 929.
R2 955 R3 802 R4 088 R3 900 R3 950 R3 999 R3 799 R4 400 R4 190 R5 000 R5 200 R5 529 R5 950 R6 690 R11000 R 12 000
R200 R200 R200 R450 R715 R1200 R2 470 R2 500 R2 700 R2 900 R3 000 R3 250 R3 300 R3 400 R3 600 R3 776 R 4 500 R 5 0 0 0 R5 250 R5 380 R5 045 R5 750 R6 800 R5 145 R5 800 R6 100 R6 500 R7 500 R11200 R14 790 R15 750 R16 000 R10000 R21000
R578 R545 R790 R1010 R1424 R1875 R3 220 R3 171. 30
R3 590 R4 189 R4 239 R4 750 R4 800 R5 050 R5 400 R6 025.
R7 271 R 7 929 R8 250 R9 182 R9 133 R9 650 R10 750
R9 144 R9 599 R10 500 R10 690 R12 500 R16 400 R20 319 R21700 R22 690 R31000 R33 000
ENDNOTES
1 Interview with Hajji Achmat Hendricks (born July 8, 1912) on June 10, 2002.
2 The Cape Argus, October 29,2003, p. 8.
3 Refer to the first chapter of this thesis.
4 Extract from a Despatch " Her Majesty's Agent and Consul General of Zanzibar" April 20,1877.
5 See the first chapter "Bakaar's Travel and Diary"
6 Interview with Kobra Manuel and her daughter Sharefa Adams on February 10,2006.
7 Interview with Dr Sullaiman Nordien on July 8,2002.
8 Interview with Mawlana Yusuf Karaan (senior member of the Muslim Judicial Council) on January 28, 2004.
9 Interview with Ebrahim Rhoda of the Strand on December 30, 2005.
10 Ibid.
11 Interview with Hajji Mogamat Mathews on December 7, 2003.
12 Author unknown, "Hawker takes family to Hajj". Muslim Views, December 30,1964. p. 7.
13 Interview with Moegsien Hendricks on November 15,2005.
14 Drum, October 1959. p. 31.
15 Hajji Mohammed Hanief Allie was the ex-principal of Habibia Primary School in Rylands.
16 Interview with Hajji Mohammed Hanief Allie on December 28, 2005.
17 Muslim News, January 27,1961. p.4.
18 Ibid, February 10,1961. p. 9.
19 Ibid, June 25,1982. p. 7.
20 Ibid, January 1,1961. p. 4.
21 Ibid, December 27,1963. p. 6.
22 Ibid, p. 4.
The agency's name is not mentioned in the Muslim News.
24 Author unknown, "Magnificent Response to Appeal", Muslim News, March 6,1964. p. 1.
25 Ibid, p. 12.
26 Interview with Hajji Moniebah Razak on March 10, 2006. Moniebah was married to Shaykh Hanif Booley.
27 Interview with Imam Abdullah Gameeldien on April 1, 2006.
28 Muslim News, June 25,1982. p. 7.
29 Ibid.
30 Ibid, February 11, 1883. p. 16.
31 Ibid.
32 The idea of paying off one's hajj ticket to Muslim travel agents was/is not at all unique, as Thomas Cook also allowed potential hajjis to pay off their air tickets. I can recall in 1983 after my father's demise, I immediately made intention to perform hajj in 1984. My friend, who had booked his air ticket at Thomas Cook the previous year, advised me also to do so. Thomas Cook allowed me to pay off my air ticket. The cost of the ticket was R l , 500-00 from Cape Town to Jeddah return.
33 Muslim News, March 29,1985. p. 7.
34 Ibid.
35 Interview with Hajj Shamiel Palmer on April 2, 2006. Shamiel travelled with the Al-Anwdr Hajj and
^Umrah Group in 2005.
36 Interview with Hajji Rafeeq Harris on April 5, 2006.
37 Muslim Views, August 1998. p. 9.
38 Ibid.
39 Muslim Views, January 1998. p. 3.
40 Muslim Mirror, April 1997. p. 7.
41 Ibid.
42 Muslim Views, January 1998. p.3.
43 Interview with Hajji Sulayman Allie on February 24, 2006.
44 Interview with Rasul Mahomed of Rasul's Travel on February 15, 2006.
45 The Cape Argus, September 26, 2002. p. 18.
46 Interview with "Hajji Ali Banderker on February 26, 2006.
47 Interview with Hajji Mogamat Ganief Harris on March 4, 2006.
48 Interview with Imam Ismail Davids on July 13, 2004.
49 Muslim Views, October 1987. p. 1.
50/Wd, June 21,1985. p. 5.
51 Ibid, March 15,1985. p. 5.
52 Interview with Ebrahim Larney on April 1, 2006.
Ibid, October 1989. p. 28.
54 Ibid.
55 Interview with Farid Sayed, editor of Muslim Views on March 3, 2006.
56 He also had money, which was saved at another bank.
57 Albaraka Bank has been in operation since June 1989.
58 Ibid, November 1993. p. 15.
59 Muslim Views, February 1996. p. 22.
60 Ad-Da'wah, February 1994. p. 5.
61 Muslim Views, February 1996. p. 22.
52 Ahmad Kadwah addresss at the Athlone Technical College on September 29, 2002.
63 Interview with Adeeb Abrahams on March 17, 2006.
64 Mukhbir - The Informer, August 2003. p. 16.
65 Interview with Hafiz Aadiel Brown on April 17, 2006.
66 Ibid.
67 Interview with Zubeida Davids on August 31, 2005. FNB "Islamic Finance" document rules.
68 Interview with Shamiela Dal vie on March 24, 2005.
69 Hajji Muhammad Hoosain Ebrahim Peerbhai was the author's grandfather. In fact the author was named after his grandfather. When Hajji Peerbhai died in 1954, the author was 12 years old.
70 Doman, M "The Essence of District Six", Weekend Argus, August 15,1986. p. 6.
71 The Cape Standard, August 30,1938. p. 6.
72 Ebrahim, M H 2004. Shaykh Ismail Hanif Edwards ~ His Life and Works, p. 42.
73 Interview with Hajji Rugaiya Sadan (February 24,1912) on December 15, 2002.
74 Interview with Hajji Mohammed Hanief Allie on July 9, 2004.
75 Interview with Abdul Gamiet Jacobs (known as Imam Dollie) on February 2, 2004.
76 Interview with Hajji Moniebah Razak on March 10, 2006.
77 Interview with Farid Sayed, editor of Muslim Views on March 3, 2006.
78 Interview with Shamiel Dollie on March 5, 2005.
79 Ibid.
80 Cape Argus, February 18, 2002. p. 11.
81 Interview with Farouk Adams on April 4, 2006.
82 Ibid.
83 Interview with Dr. "Aziz Adams on December 28,2005.
84 Dr. "Aziz Adams was the first doctor who was granted a licence from the Department of Health to administer the yellow fever vaccination.
85 Interview with Dr. "Aziz Adams on December 28, 2005.
86 Interview with Hajji Abu Bakr van der Schyff on August 26, 2003.
87 Hajji Mohammed Hanief Allie, ex-principal of Habibia Primary School, was the first person to go hajj by air.
88 Interview with Hajji Mohammed Hanief Allie on December 28,2005.
89 The current yellow fever vaccination lasts up to ten years.
w The meningitis vaccination lasts for three years. It was only made compulsory in the late 1900s, though it was already introduced in the 1980s .
91 Interview with Dr. "Aziz Adams on March 23,2006.
92 Interview with Farouk Adams on April 20, 2006.
93
Interview with Mahomed Farid Choonara on February 8. 2006.
94 Interview with Ebrahim Ismail on April 26,2006.
95 Ibid.
96 Interview with Ebrahim Ismail on April 26,2006.
91 Ibid.
98 Prices varied because of factors such as length of stay, type of accommodation and mode of travel.
CHAPTER 5
MANAGING THE HAJJ ENTERPRISE 5.1 INTRODUCTION
Managing the hajj enterprise is a very significant aspect of the fifth pillar of Islam. Many sectors are involved in organising the hajj including the government, doctors, financial institutions, mutawwifs, muallims, shaykhs, travel agents, as well as hajj operators. From as early as the 19th century, hajjis have been experiencing many problems prior to leaving for hajj and also during the hajj. In 1995 the South African government gave its full backing to the newly instituted body - the South African Hajj and vUmrah Council
(SAHUC) to manage the hajj enterprise.
In spite of the harsh conditions of the journey to Mecca and Medina in the past, the demands made by the administrative system prior to departure were not many. Today the journey is much easier, but the preparation for it is far more complex.
In former years, when visas were processed in the Saudi Kingdom, the hajjis used to wait at Jeddah airport and the mutawwifstravel agents would organise accommodation for them. This processing of the visas normally took a day or two. Ironically, now that a Saudi Arabian Ambassador is based in Pretoria to oversee these matters, there have been complications in the distribution of visas to the hajjis for the past few years. This delay in the issuing of visas has created serious problems for the travel and other arrangements of the hajjis. This is one of the issues that will be discussed in this chapter. The earlier mutawwif hajj system established by the Saudi Government and its subsequent development will be examined.
I will investigate how past and present hajj agents and operators have managed the hajj enterprise. Problems encountered by hajjis over the years will be identified. The establishment of SAHUC as well as its status and role in the hajj industry will also be discussed in this chapter. I will examine whether SAHUC has achieved its objectives as the overseer of the hajj enterprise.