With Hajj expected to reach its climax in the coming days, concerns are growing among South African Muslims hoping to perform the pilgrimage as a new digital system reshapes how the sacred journey is booked and managed.
For many families, the focus is no longer only on spiritual preparation, but also on navigating a process that feels unfamiliar, expensive and difficult to access.
The shift to an online direct-booking platform has introduced new pressures, particularly for those who are not comfortable with technology or cannot commit large sums of money upfront. Hajj packages for South African pilgrims are currently understood to range between R160,000 and R200,000.
Families who have waited years for their turn now face added strain, with questions around access, affordability and fairness coming into sharper focus. There are concerns that the new system could unintentionally favour those with greater financial means or stronger digital access, leaving others behind.
Questions around oversight also remain, with a long-awaited government report into Hajj administration yet to be released.
One Nation Media spoke to Shaheen Essop, current board member and former president of the South African Hajj and Umrah Council, who acknowledged the shift but warned against ignoring realities on the ground.
“It’s all about making it as efficient as possible, efficient for them, not efficient for everybody around the world,” he said.
As the new system takes hold over the coming years, the central question is whether modernisation can be balanced with fairness, accessibility and the needs of ordinary pilgrims.
Watch One Nation Media’s full video report on the new Hajj system and what it means for South African pilgrims.
