The Muslim Judicial Council is tight-lipped on the allegations of financial mismanagement levelled at its executive.

The MJC’s second deputy president Sheikh Riad Fataar has told Radio 786 that they will not be speaking on the matter as he claimed that they are not allowed to comment until a commission of inquiry into the allegations is completed. However, questions about the scope of the inquiry, and who is on the panel were not answered.

Concerns have been raised about the lack of transparency regarding the alleged mismanagement of up to R900 000.

In a letter, a former executive member, Moulana Yusuf Arieff appears to demand an explanation of how the Covid-19 funds to assist Imams, were spent. He says most of the transactions were cash withdrawals and that there were obvious discrepancies in relation to the date of the withdrawals, the amounts, as well as there being no indication of how the monies were spent. Arieff goes on to call for the suspension of the MJC’s top five pending the conclusion of an investigation.

The MJC’s Treasurer Sheikh Fadhil Emandien has hit back in another letter, accusing Arieff of distorting what he says are so-called facts and of purposefully trying to cast doubt on the MJC’s incumbent leadership. Emandien insists that the amounts in question were explained in a detailed report to the MJC’s General Majlis in October last year. He adds that there is a strict process governing the MJC’s finances and bank account.

Radio 786’s efforts to gain comment from the MJC on its governance and financial management were effectively rejected, with the MJC citing the vague commission.