SA’s Muslims say price increase in visas for pilgrimages is unfair
Muslims living in SA have called for the scrapping of visa fee hikes imposed on Hajj and Umrah Islamic pilgrimages. Yusuf Abramjee‚ social activist and co-chair of the newly formed Anti-Visa Fee SA committee‚ said the fee increments that came into effect in October were too high. "…What it amounts to is that anyone going for pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is forced to pay about 2,000 riyals (about R7,300)‚ and we are rejecting that‚" said Abramjee. "We objected to the fee hike as the South African Muslim community and we formed a group two weeks ago called the Anti-Visa Fee SA committee." Muslims in other parts of the world have also opposed the increase‚ saying it will make it difficult for many to travel to the holy land. "Countries like Egypt and Morocco are boycotting Umrah and Hajj. We in SA took a decision that we will not boycott the pilgrimage‚ it will be wrong to do that from a religious point of view. This morning‚ I was told that only 45 South Africans were gra...
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