The role of the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (Sahuc) has been brought into question, as some operators have still not refunded pilgrims affected by last year’s Covid-19 Hajj restrictions.

Sahuc has now advised affected pilgrims to take on the added cost of going to the courts to force defaulting operators to refund them.

It’s Secretary General, Hassan Choonara says that they have exhausted all their efforts to get defaulting hajj operators to refund pilgrims.

He has however noted that most hajj operators have repaid their affected clients.

Sahuc has advised pilgrims not to leave their money with hajj operators as they are accredited on an annual basis.

It says that there is no guarantee that these operators will be authorised for the next hajj.

[Header image: Khaleej Times / SPA]