The South African Hajj and Umrah Council Sahuc has announced that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah together with the service provider, have agreed to pay over 3 million Saudi riyal SAR, roughly R14.5 million, to 3 500 pilgrims in the country who participated in the 2023 pilgrimage.
The Saudis were compensating the local pilgrims due to poor and inadequate service delivery they received at the Hajj.
The Sahuc board said the pilgrims would be partially refunded for their five-day stay in the form of an ex-gratia payment due to the poor service they received, including the theft of their food and water shortages.
These remarks were made by Sahuc president Moaz Casoo during a press conference on Friday at the Suleiman Nana Memorial Hall, in Brixton, Joburg.
The press conference was attended by Sahuc board members, Saudi Embassy representative Sultan Al Harbi, and the head of Hajj mission, Ismail Kholvadia.
