The South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) says it has been successful in refunding the majority of pilgrims accredited for Hajj 1441/2020, subsequent to that Hajj season becoming a no-go for South Africans. But it warns that it cannot guarantee Hajj 2021 accreditation for those would-be pilgrims affected by this year’s ban.
“All pilgrims will go back into the system and queue for accreditation again. We cannot guarantee accreditation [because] we have an allocated quota and this could change with COVID-19. Nobody can make a decision at this point whether the Hajj quota will remain the same or if it will be reduced and by how much. We await a directive from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” said Moaaz Casoo, SAHUC secretary-general.
Moaaz told Travel News that everyone affected by the cancellation this year was eligible to fall into the queue for registration next year, and that new applicants may have a longer wait ahead.
“Everyone who registers now will go into the queue. Normally it takes around four to five years from registration before your name comes out for accreditation, due to the quota that is in place and the large backlog on the system of first-time pilgrims,” he said.
