Following shocking videos of Muslim women being physically searched at OR Tambo International airport, in Johannesburg, the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC SA) held a meeting with the Airport Company South Africa (ACSA) to discuss the matter and other related incidents.
Sheikh Riyaad Fataar, spokesperson for the MJC SA, said the meeting was requested following the alarming events.
WATCH | Woman wearing headscarf ‘profiled’ at OR Tambo
In a video that went viral on social media, Nadia Jacobs was blocked at the customs terminal and requested to remove her hijab (Islamic headgear), or doek.
“Members of the Muslim Judicial Council had similar experiences by being ‘randomly searched’, on a trip to Johannesburg,” he said.
Mzwandile Petros, who represented ACSA at the meeting, said details of the meeting were largely concentrated on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of ACSA in relation to screening and searches and whether or not religious profiling was happening to Muslims passing through South Africa’s airports.
“ACSA presented their SOPs, substantiating it with video footage,” Fataar said.
“These highlighted that the searches and screenings remained random, with installed technology (randomiser) prompting the security guard that screening must be performed.
“In addition to these videos, the MJC was also privy to video footage where ACSA showed non-Muslim passengers dressed in normal attire, passengers wearing caps and the doek as well as passengers wearing weaves being screened and searched.
“Petros did acknowledge that while the SOP was in line with international standards the personnel on the floor may at times err in being too aggressive with travellers.
“However, the company has standard three-month training sessions to mitigate shortcomings in the implementation of their duties.”
In addition to these acknowledgements, further affirmations given by Petros were that religious profiling does occur at other international airports but, it is criminal, unconstitutional and illegal to do so in South Africa.
Petros also indicated that while a “beep” may not ring, as metal detectors only screen and beep for metal objects, non-metal prohibited items such as drugs and so on, requires security having to screen and search travellers.
These details are of particular importance, especially in relation to the recent experience of Jacobs.
“ACSA policies allow for passengers that prefer to be processed privately, to request it and this must be facilitated for by the security personnel.
“Indications that in these private rooms, the security personnel are recorded via video to ensure that there is no corruption, nor risk to the passenger.
“We encourage our community to know their rights while being conscious and courteous to others Inshalah,” Fataar says.
