President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the issue of the annual Hajj quota with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman al Saud in 2022.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) is reviewing the recommendations contained in a report about the annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia for South African citizens.
Dirco referred to its previous media statement dated 10 February 2023, “Establishment of the Ministerial Committee on the Efficient Management of the Annual Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimages”.
Ministerial committee
In that statement, former international relations minister Naledi Pandor said the mandate and role of the ministerial committee was to provide strategic direction to support the efficient management of the annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
Pandor said it was also to ensure that the South African pilgrims may enjoy a well-organised pilgrimage in an appropriate system under the auspices of the relevant ministry of Hajj and Umrah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Ramaphosa and MBS
Pandor also informed the ministerial committee that President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the issue of the annual quota during his state visit to Saudi Arabia on 15-16 October 2022 with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman al Saud.
Pandor also followed up with her counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The ministerial committee at the time was chaired by ambassador Ebrahim Rasool and members included Fatima Chohan, professor Mathole Motshekga, professor Anil Sooklal, ambassador Ashraf Suliman and Zeenat Adam.
Final Report
Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said the ministerial committee submitted its final report to Dirco on 30 June 2025.
“The department is currently reviewing the recommendations contained in the report and is engaging with the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) to ensure alignment with constitutional and community-based principles,” he said.
New framework
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia recently announced a new operational framework for the facilitation of Hajj from South Africa, effective from 2026.
“Under this new model, the traditional use of licensed tour operators will be discontinued. Instead, all service contracts will be signed directly with Saudi service providers, who will assume full responsibility for service delivery within the kingdom. Coordination will be managed through the Nusuk Masar electronic platform, under the oversight of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” Phiri said.
Phiri said Dirco remains committed to providing consular support to South African nationals undertaking their religious obligations, including Hajj and Umrah and to “maintaining the positive reputation of the Republic of South Africa in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.
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