DIRCO outlines changes to Hajj facilitation amid SAHUC controversy
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has welcomed the National Assembly’s adoption of a motion without notice on the “Resolution on SAHUC controversy,” while reiterating South Africa’s position on the facilitation of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages from 2026.
DIRCO says it had taken note of Parliament’s resolution and reminded the public of its previous communication on the matter.
“On June 30, 2025, the Ministerial Committee on the Efficient Management of the Annual Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimages (MCHU) submitted its final report to DIRCO,” the department said.
The report is currently being processed in consultation with the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) to ensure that “alignment with constitutional and community-based principles” is achieved.
DIRCO highlighted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has already moved to overhaul the way Hajj from South Africa will be organised.
“The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced a new operational framework for the facilitation of Hajj from South Africa, effective from 2026,” the department explained.
This framework will mark a major departure from the current system in which licensed tour operators have traditionally played a central role.
“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,” DIRCO said.
Coordination will instead be managed through the Nusuk Masar electronic platform, overseen by Saudi authorities.
The department stressed that it remains committed to protecting the rights and dignity of South African pilgrims.
“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.”
The Ministerial Committee, chaired by Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, was established in 2023 to provide strategic direction and ensure that South African pilgrims enjoy a “well-organised pilgrimage by an appropriate system under the auspices of the relevant Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Its final report has informed much of the government’s approach as Saudi Arabia rolls out its new system.
While the National Assembly’s motion points to growing political concern over the controversy surrounding the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC), DIRCO makes clear that the ultimate framework for pilgrim facilitation will rest on the Saudi model, with oversight from the CRL Rights Commission.
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