Cape Town - A Gqeberha airport has come under fire for what has been described as an ill-worded and offensive security notice, making particular mention and singling out Muslim women’s headdress.
The Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport announced via Facebook that as part of security measures, persons wearing any kind of headgear including head wraps, hijabs, burkas, or niqabs would undergo a physical search.
It further added that searches can be conducted in an enclosed area, upon request.
“We appreciate your co-operation in ensuring a secure travel experience for all,” the notice read.
Travellers were advised that proceeding through any security screening would require the person to remove any headgear.
These included caps, hats, kippah, kufi and hoodies.
“It is mandatory for all individuals wearing head wraps, hijabs, burkas or niqabs to undergo a physical search, and any fixed headgear will undergo a pat down.”
A disclaimer at the bottom of the attached poster stated that the International Civil Aviation Organisation security protocol did not target people based on their “race, gender, attire, religion, look or place of origin”.
Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) was reached for further information on the notice but did not respond by the time of publication.
In November 2022, the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) of South Africa had met with representatives of Acsa.
The meeting had come as a response to videos of Muslim women being physically searched including members of the MJC SA experiencing similar random searches on a trip to Johannesburg.
The MJC SA at the time said the meeting focused on Acsa’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in relation to screening and searches and whether religious profiling targeted Muslim travellers.
The MJC SA was requested to comment on Thursday, however, did not respond to these requests.
Frequent traveller, Advocate and MP, Shameemah Dollie Salie, said the issue has been an “ongoing fight” for a long time and the biggest problem is the request to remove one’s headscarf when proceeding through screening.
She said signs indicating this should be clearly visible before the search.
“Whenever I arrive at the airport in Johannesburg, they search me because of my hijab. This is not new anymore. I have been subjected to these searches constantly when leaving Johannesburg to come to Cape Town. Only Cape Town International Airport has never ever searched my scarf. Why are certain airports in South Africa more prone to these actions?” she said.
“Not once in the past three years has my headscarf not been searched when I leave OR Tambo airport. It does indeed feel like an invasion of privacy and that one is being targeted for being a Muslim wearing a hijab.”
Activist Moeshfieka Botha emphasised the importance of language and that the wording used seemed to target Muslims.
“It literally mentions hijabs, burkas or niqabs – all dress codes for Muslim women. Why not include a nun’s habit or a Sikh’s turban? Why not use more inclusive wording and just state religious head coverings? Why specifically target female Islamic attire?”
As a frequent flyer who wears a hijab, she said she doesn’t mind being patted down from head to toe by a woman official, but saw no reason for the removal of the hijab which takes time and care to put into place again.
“The impracticality of having every Muslim woman remove her hijab (even in a private area) is a logistical nightmare that I don’t think Acsa is equipped to deal with. Let’s just try and get the basics of seamless air travel in South Africa right before we go infringing on the democratic rights and freedom of any and all who choose to wear religious head coverings.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za