I was taken aback by the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) when it accepted the application by a Shariah-based political party called the Islamic State of Africa (ISA). This application was forwarded by a man who is not new to controversy.

Farhad Hoomer was arrested in 2018 after he was accused of being involved in the deadly attack at the Imam Hussain Mosque in Verulam. However, the charges were withdrawn later.

The name Islamic State of Africa raises a serious concern, as it suggests that Hoomer may be associated with the internationally designated terrorist group, Islamic State (ISIS or Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) by the United Nations (UN) and many countries throughout the world.

This terrorist organisation does not need introduction in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).  It continues to cause chaos in Mozambique, where the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been involved to stop the Jihadi terrorism unleashed by a group known as Islamic State of Mozambique (ISM).

The accusations by some Western politicians that Africa is, to some extent, an enabler of growing terrorism on the continent could be true. Countries such as Sudan and Chad have allowed the Islamic organisations to operate, at times offering their countries as covers for wanted terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden. This made Africa vulnerable as it allowed for terror groups to proliferate.

The political and ideological intention of this new party, ISA, does not in any way align with the country’s constitution. Just as the founder, Hooker, has said, its constitution makes it very clear that it will implement Sharia law—a legal and moral framework within Islam derived from the Quran and Islamic tradition. The chaotic scenes from the Middle East (Asia) are entirely caused by the proponents of this belief, who are convinced that the whole world should be forced, through violence, to follow Islam. 

Intention

What Hoomer should understand is that South Africa is and will forever remain a secular state, which has a great respect for all religions and has always allowed everyone to practise their religion. Section 15 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees a right to religion, belief, and opinion to everyone.

While there is no doubt that the country is dominated by Christianity due to its colonial past, South Africa is not and will not be a religious state. From this vantage point, it does not make sense that a minority Islamic sect could be allowed to determine the future of the majority.

The concern here is not whether the application would be approved, or that Hoomer may not even get a parliamentary seat, which he would never get, but it is about the principle. The IEC was not supposed to even entertain the application of Farhad Hoomer of wanting to import violence to South Africa. Just on our doorsteps in Mozambique, our brothers and sisters are terrorised by similar groups. 

South Africa is also harbouring immigrants and refugees who are running away from the Middle East and African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Nigeria, and many others.

Funding

According to the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI), South Africa has been and is used as a source of funding for many terror activities across the African continent. There are cells loyal to Islamic State inside our country which are acting as middlemen by consolidating all the funds from all related terror organisations to generate income. MEARI further observes that Somalia and South Africa are financial hubs of all Islamic State cells, or provinces as they are called.

The money is then pooled inside South Africa and laundered across East Africa through an intricate network that finances the Islamic State’s activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique.

African countries such as Djibouti and Mozambique have had their first terror encounter in recent years.  That should be a justification for South Africa never to associate with or tolerate any Islamic State-related organisations to operate here. 

This would create a conducive environment for radical Islamic terrorism to thrive in this country, which is an economic and social home for many African and Asian immigrants whose home situation is untenable and unfixable. 

As a matter of principle, the IEC was not supposed to entertain the application of this party. It undermines South Africa’s Constitution in seeking to endorse a new political and ideological trajectory that represents a minority who are not even native to this country. South Africa tolerates all religions or beliefs and regards them as equally welcome. As much as we respect religious nations, we are not a religious state and do not wish to become one.

The views of the writers are not necessarily the views of the Daily Friend or the IRR.

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Mokgatlhe, an MA student at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, is a political analyst, researcher, and columnist.