Various research reports reveal that, the healthcare system of the Eastern Cape Province has been teetering on the edge of complete collapse for years. Horror stories abound of dysfunctional hospitals, run down clinics, over stretched nurses, medicine shortages and ambulances that never arrive. The healthcare system is not functioning in a way that is ordinarily understood as operational all at the expense of people’s rights, dignity and lives.

The most disadvantaged members of our communities are the ones who suffer the most from the above conditions. SANZAF initiated a Health & Welnness Day a few years ago and this has spurred a number of other similar initiates which SANZAF now partners or participates in , namely the Al Ansaar Health Clinic in Bell Road and the recent My Youth Community Project to which SANZAF invited and took along a number of our beneficiaries. This initiative was held in conjunction with the provincial department of public health, Clicks Pharmacy, Smile – Hub dental surgery, Path care, Diabetes South Africa and various other local health care service providers to host the Public Medical Day. The health clinic at the Malabar community Centre from 09.00am until 01.pm. Medical practitioners from the Nelson Mandela Metro voluntarily provided their professional services to members of the community who struggle to access quality health care service. As a result of the overburdened health system and long delays at public health facilities a number of residents do not always have access to such health facilities.

The health practitioners involved in the Public Health Day rendered free medical checkups for various illnesses such as tests for sugar, blood, cholesterol, vision and hypertension. Other health services that were provided to the community members were advice on weight loss, pain management and free medicine. Medical professionals who took part in this initiative ranged from GP`s, Dentists, Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Chiropractors and homeopaths.

Sanzaf invited 70 of its recipients to benefit from the various health care services provided at the Public Health Day event. The beneficiaries invited by Sanzaf to this initiative were all residents of the Nelson Mandela Metro’s Kwazakhele, Motherwell, New Brighton areas as well as some of the learners from the Universal Islamic Cultural Trust’s (UICT) Madressah.

Sanzaf through it’s collaboration with various organisation and It’s own initiatives ensures access to such Public Medical initiatives takes place annually, ensuring that residents from under resourced communities are not denied the basic right of access to quality health care.

ON Friday 28 September at 6.02 pm, an earthquake shook the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on the Makasar Straits. It was a shallow, sharp 7.5 Richter scale quake. Its epicentre was in the mountainous region of Central Sulawesi, 77 km from the provincial capital Palu, which is located in the mouth of a narrow bay.

Thirty minutes after the quake, the earth shook again as a tsunami, travelling over 100 kms an hour, boxed in by the topography of the bay and slowing over the seabed, built in terrifying size to six metres.

At 6.32 pm, the tsunami smashed into Palu, sweeping away cars, buildings, temples and mosques, even washing ships on to dry land. Over 1,700 homes disappeared into the earth, sucked into a vortex of liquefication, caused by quake disturbed soil and water.
In a matter of minutes, Palu and its environs became a fearsome scene of devastation as nearly 2,000 people drowned in the mud, or were swept away by the water. As the tsunami receded over a landscape borrowed from the Final Days, over a quarter of a million people had been made homeless, and life as they know it, had been taken away from them.

Sulawesi might not have been on the scale of the Aceh tsunami of 2004, but it was still a destructive natural event, well beyond human scope. After visiting Palu and assessing damage, Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, realising the gravity of the situation, made the call for international aid.

Sulawesi is close to South African hearts, as the family of one our forefathers Shaykh Yusuf of Makasar hail from the region. For this reason, the recently-announced Joint Indonesia Emergency Appeal is a heart-warming response.

This month, several South African-based relief organisations met at the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) in Cape Town to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would see them joining forces to raise much-needed funds for humanitarian relief efforts in Sulawesi.

The organisations who have signed the MOU are: the MJC, Darul Islam Zakah Fund (DAIZAF), Darul Qur’an South Africa, Islamic Relief South Africa (IRSA), Muslim Hands South Africa (MHSA) and SANZAF.

MJC President, Shaykh Irafaan Abrahams, said the MOU marked a momentous occasion and that they had pledged to raise R2 million towards helping the people of Sulawesi.

“The MJC always envisioned that our community organisations would come together, to forge closer working relationships, as they work to alleviate the suffering of the poor in our communities. I am extremely proud of the mature and respectful manner in which discussions were held in finalising this joint venture. All parties came together with one goal in mind – to assist those affected by the Indonesian disaster,” he said.

SANZAF Western Cape General Manager, Shafiek Barendse, concurred with these sentiments, adding that the joint initiative would allow organisations to lean on one another for support and capacity building.

“Locally there is potential to partner and support one another on different projects. As institutions, we know we cannot be there for everyone, but now we will be able reach much more vulnerable people together,” he said.

Sakeena Bock, head of SANZAF’s marketing team, said the Joint Indonesia Emergency Appeal would be an impactful platform in offering solace to those in need, adding that in 2016 the organisation had teamed up with local relief organisation, Al-Imdad, to distribute aid to the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazaar refugee camp. In 2015, SANZAF had also sent R1 million in aid to Gaza and R500, 000 for relief in Syria.

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ZAKAH is often something of a misunderstood Islamic institution. So often it is seen as a ‘compulsory charity’ or an ‘alms tax’. The point is that Zakah is actually none of these. Zakah is a pillar of the Islamic faith, and hereby lies the rub.

Historically, Zakah is classified as a prophetic practice – in other words, it was announced to mankind thousands of years ago. The Qur’an, which was revealed systematically and gradually, introduces us to the notion of Zakah via the Prophet Isma’il, thus establishing a link with the Prophet Muhammad [saw], who was of the House of Isma’il:

Also mention in the Book [the story of] Isma’il: He was true to what he promised, and he was message-giver...He used to enjoin on his people prayer and Zakah, and he was most acceptable in the sight of his Lord. [Surah Maryam 19:54-55].

Zakah was also enjoined upon the Jews, the Bani Isra’il, and in ancient Hebrew the word is ‘zakut’:

And [remember] when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, saying: ‘Worship none save Allah and be good to your parents and to your family and to orphans and to the needy, and speak kindly to mankind; [so] establish prayer and pay Zakah.’ [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:83].

Jesus, who preceded Muhammad [saw], also finds himself on this continuum:

‘Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and has appointed me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and Zakah…’ [Surah Maryam 19:30-31].

It was only in the second year of the Hijrah, some eighteen months after the emigration of the Prophet [saw] to Madinah in 626 CE that Zakah became an Islamic obligation. Qur’anic verses revealed in Madinah began to give clear directives. The Prophet [saw] used to send out workers to collect Zakah, which used to be distributed on the New Year.

The other day I heard an interesting lecture on the nature of Zakah by a local scholar, which prompted me to write this piece. “Zakah is not a charity,” he had said, adding that Zakah was what it was, a divine mercy – a pillar of faith, a divinely inspired mechanism of social transformation.

He went on to explain that the lexical import of the word gave us the clearest indications as to how we should understand the institution of Zakah. The word ‘Zakah’, he said, derived from the verbal noun ‘tazkiyya’, which meant ‘to purify’. ‘Tazkiyya’, in turn, derived from the root Arabic word, ‘zakawa’, which meant to ‘purify’, or ‘grow’.

“Please note,” said the scholar, “the basic word for purify, ‘tahara’, is not used in the context of Zakah. We do not clean ourselves of dirt like in a bath when we pay Zakah. It does not remove outer impurities. No. The word Zakah has a much more elevated meaning, a deep and profound inner meaning.”

The scholar went to explain that Zakah was an act of ‘ibadah, of worship. Like prayer, or salah, the act of giving Zakah could be compared to the personal mi’raj, or spiritual ascension, of the prayer. When we performed the act of Zakah, we had to perform it with our heads bent in humility, as if we were standing before Allah.

“Even if given through an agency (such as SANZAF) Zakah is a transaction that passes from heart to heart,” said the scholar. “We do it with dignity. Remember, Zakah is not the act of throwing coins at the poor. It is a basic human right. And Allah Almighty does not burden us with it...”

The scholar returned to the lexical meaning of Zakah, saying that if we combined the concept of purification and growth, we would get a close approximation of the divine intent of Zakah – heavenly blessings, personal and communal growth, inner cleanliness and socio-economic betterment.

“We have a merciful Creator who wants good things for His people. He wants the rich to be generous and the poor to feel happy. He wants to boast to His Angels how the Prophet’s congregation is sharing its wealth. He wants to rejoice in how the poor are singing His praises for their rights.”

As the month of Muharram heralds the dawn of the new Islamic year, so too it is a special time for Muslims around the world. Just as it is associated with giving, taking stock of ourselves and where we are going spiritually it is also a time of joy and mercy. The month of Muharram is one of the four sacred months which is ushered in by fasting especially the first ten days, which are resplendent with spiritual reward. In line with the hadith by Tabarani and Al-Bayhaqi in which it reported that Nabee Muhammad (SAW) said: “One who generously spends on his family on the 10th of Muharram (day of Ashura), Allah will be generous on him for the entire year.” SANZAF reached out to our Madrassahs in celebrating the significance of this special month by distributing 30 food packs to four of the Madressah’s on 20 and 21st September 2018. Learners had the opportunity of enjoying some sandwiches, fruit and party packs. The Madressah`s benefitting from this initiative are based in Marikana, Motherwell, Kwazakhele and New Brighton. The event forms part of a number of initiatives implemented annually by the Port Elizabeth office of SANZAF in celebration of the new Islamic year.

FEW realise that Zakah, the ritual purification of surplus wealth, is better distributed with the underlying intention of sustainability. Charity, of course, is critical in relieving an immediate crisis – but to alleviate it one has to have strategies in place to ensure that the experience is not repeated.

This is why providing hope is such an important element of Zakah. Hope is a condition of the heart that actively wishes for something better, but to flourish, it has to be actively nurtured by something that offers a solution. It is the fishing rod of charity, as opposed to the fish.

One thing that the Prophet Muhammad [SAW] realised after he migrated to the oasis city of Madinah in the 7th century was that poverty and ignorance could become a problem. This awareness was heightened by the fact that the emigrants from Makkah, having fled Quraysh oppression, were destitute.

That was when the Prophet [SAW] encouraged the residents of Madinah, the Ansar, to adopt the emigrants from Makkah, the Muhajirun. He instructed them to look after each other in compassion. “Feed the hungry,” was the first thing the noble Prophet said to the people of Madinah, who took up his instruction with fervour.

There were many early socio-economic challenges, but few of us realise that the Prophet worked to overcome them through the means of education. The traditions are there – but mystifyingly – we seem to ignore or forget them. For one of the first things the Prophet [SAW] did in Madinah was to encourage those who were literate (even if they were Jews) to educate the illiterate.

Today, over 1,000 years later, this simple – but effective – model still applies. The most impactful way of transforming a society, of eradicating poverty and reducing unemployment, is via education. Nelson Mandela knew what he was saying after his release from Robben Island when he said that we had to focus on “education, education and education”.

As the beloved Prophet said to A’ishah in a similar vein, “Allah neither sent me as a person who causes difficulty to others, nor did He send me as one who desires hardship and difficulty. Rather, He sent me as a teacher and the one who causes ease to people…”

This, of course, embodies the very first Qur’anic revelation of “Iqraa”, a word which carries a far deeper import than just reading and reciting. In fact, the scholars will tell us that implicit in this command is a directive for us to understand things so that we can become conscious beings, cognisant of the Mercy of Allah, and everything of His around us.

Today, this ethos is firmly rooted in SANZAF. Last year alone, SANZAF distributed R27.7 million for tertiary level bursaries and for its Education, Empowerment and Development programme (SEED), which incorporates the Future Leaders’ Programme, mentorship and personal support to learners and students, as well as satellite projects such as honey harvesting, small-scale farming and entrepreneurship training.

Experts tell us that poverty can only be eradicated by an “ecological” approach. This is achieved via a focus on knowledge and skills training after a person’s primary needs such as hunger, shelter and security have been met.

That the institution of Zakah meets the above criteria like a glove is a no-brainer. The greater picture of Zakah, enjoined by every single prophet – Jewish, Christian or other – is that it roots for the underdog, calls for dignity and compassion in execution and extolls the virtues of elevating the human spirit.

The SANZAF bursary programme is one such vehicle, with thousands of students having benefited from it already. The significance of this particular project is stressed by the fact that young people, who would otherwise fall through the cracks of the system, are allowed to enjoy a bright future.

In the South African context, the social impact is massive. Just one student graduating and finding a job, or starting a business, will not only be able to fill the national skills vacuum, but will also have the power to lift an entire family out of poverty. This in turn regenerates the economy. And as the application process for the SANZAF bursary programme opens, we need to bear this in mind, for it is a project well worth our support – moral or otherwise.

Chris Mabunda, a WITS university student and one of 35 student entrepreneurs from around the world was selected to attend the annual Global Entrepreneurship Summer School (GESS) programme in Munich Germany.

Chris was selected after he started a project in 2016 that manufactures eco-friendly bricks and cement from waste materials to assist people living in rural areas to build low cost housing. However, Chris encountered an obstacle of funding to cover his flight to Germany. An individual contacted SANZAF and explained Chris’s situation to which a decision was made to sponsor Chris’s trip to Germany. An ecstatic Chris departed from SANZAF full of smiles and eager to further develop his skills.

In July 2018 the department of social development in conjunction with Nicro initiated a program titled economic opportunities program. This program sought to expose ex-offenders to opportunities that will enable them to empower themselves economically. The department of social development discovered that ex-offenders struggle to find employment or create employment opportunities for themselves after being released from prison due to their criminal records. Lack of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities causes anger and frustration, which escalates the possibility of ex-offenders resorting to crime to support themselves. This then prompted the department of social development and Nicro to initiate the economic opportunities program to address this issue. The program is lead by Thamsanqa Methule a social worker employed by Nicro. It`s first induction was on 10 July 2018 at the New Law Court conference room in Govan Mbeki Avenue. Eight ex-offenders attended the presentation.

These presentations were intended to expose ex-offenders to opportunities available for them. Such opportunities include skills development, entrepreneurial training and sources of funding for small businesses. The presentations took place over three days from 10 until 12 July 2018. Before the first presentation Nicro invited the South African National Zakah Fund to participate in the program. SANZAF then invited one of the eight ex-offenders which attended the induction to be part of the program. On the second presentation the manager of ABSA`s Entrepreneurial Development Centre Gcinashe Vambe was the guest speaker. Her presentation focused on how to start and manage a small business, how to apply for funding if you need capital to start a small business and training courses offered by ABSA to entrepreneurs starting a small business. On the third presentation Sonwabo from the National Youth Development Agency was the guest speaker. In his presentation he advised ex-offenders on types of businesses they should consider should they wish to take on an entrepreneurial rout. He informed the ex-offenders about the criteria used by the NYDA to assess funding credibility.

Sonwabo offered to guide ex-offenders through their application process should they apply to the NYDA for start up capital. On the third presentation only five of the eight ex-offenders were present. They discussed possible ways of utilising the opportunities that were presented to them. The ex-offenders decided on sharing knowledge amongst each other in order to exchange skills and share work opportunities that arise. The leader of the program Thamsanqa Methule suggested meeting on a monthly basis with members committed to the program to monitor the extent of progress made. Thamsanqa committed to providing guidance, support and assistance to the members of the program wherever necessary. The ex-offenders committed to the programme and agreed to schedule monthly meetings with Thamsanqa for assistance, advice and report on progress of the endeavours they decided to pursue after completing the program.

• Are you a career-professional wanting to make a difference?
• Do you want to inspire a student to achieve?
• Become a career mentor and help build our future leaders!

 The SANZAF Future Leaders Mentorship Programme is a new and exciting addition to the SANZAF Bursary Programme. The aim is provide a greater level of academic and personal development support to the students and to improve the affiliation between SANZAF and the bursars.

One aspect of the Future Leaders programme is to pair a final year student with a career-professional in their field of study to give them a head start.
If you would like to volunteer as a career mentor and help shape a student’s future, please follow the link below and email form to communications@sanzaf.org.za or call 021 447 0297 for more information.

** Please Note this applies to the Western Cape Region only

pdf Mentor Application form (487 KB)

Or click here to fill in the Online Application form