🇿🇦SOUTH AFRICA, I HAVE SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS! WHO IS DR IMTIAZ SOOLIMAN, AND HOW MUCH INFLUENCE DOES HE HAVE OVER OUR GOVERNMENT⁉️ I might be missing something, but I believe these are questions worth asking as a South African citizen. Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, the founder of Gift of the Givers, is widely known for humanitarian work. His organisation has helped many people in times of crisis, and that work deserves recognition. However, humanitarian work does not place anyone above scrutiny. Remember the Palestinian passengers who arrived at OR Tambo International Airport in November 2025? Gift of the Givers offered to accommodate them, and the authorities eventually permitted them to enter South Africa. But let us be accurate: they were not all officially granted refugee status; the authorities allowed them to enter under visa-exemption arrangements. Now, I read the News24 headline: “Gift of the Givers founder warns ANC against forming govt with parties that do not support Palestine.” And I have to ask: WHY? Why should the position of a political party on Palestine become a condition that determines who the ANC should or should not form a government with? If the ANC chooses to form a coalition with parties that support Israel, what happens then? What will Dr Sooliman do? Will he campaign against them? Mobilise public opposition? Or simply disagree with their foreign policy? He has every right to express his political views. But the ANC is accountable to South African voters, not to any unelected individual. MY SECOND CONCERN IS EVEN MORE SERIOUS. In an interview on 7 October 2024, Dr Sooliman made a controversial statement about the law. He was quoted as saying: “I break the laws all the time … I follow Islamic law, and Islamic law overrides any other law.” These are serious words. What exactly did he mean? South Africa is a constitutional democracy. Section 2 of our Constitution establishes that the Constitution is the supreme law of the Republic. Muslims have the right to practice their religion. Christians have the same right. So do people of every other faith. But no individual can simply declare that their religious convictions exempt them from South African law. If any Christian pastor, political leader or religious figure made the same declaration about their own religious laws, would we accept it without asking questions? Then why should we remain silent when someone else makes such a statement? MY THIRD QUESTION: WHY DOES HIS VOICE CARRY SO MUCH WEIGHT IN POLITICAL MATTERS? Is it because of his humanitarian reputation? Is it because of his influence in civil society? Or is it because politicians believe that his public standing can affect how people respond to their decisions? I do believe that every influential public figure should be open to questions. And regarding the Palestinians who have found themselves in South Africa, I ask another question: can we have an honest conversation about immigration procedures, humanitarian assistance, the right to peaceful protest and the responsibilities of everyone living in our country? South Africa has its own people facing unemployment poverty, crime, homelessness and failing services. Our government must address these problems while respecting the rights and dignity of everyone within our borders. LET ME MAKE MY POSITION CLEAR. This is not an attack on Islam. It is not an attack on Palestinians. And it is not an attack on humanitarian assistance. It is a call for transparency, accountability and equal application of the law. I want to know what Dr Sooliman meant by his statement about Islamic law. I want to understand why he believes the ANC should consider a party's position on Palestine when forming a coalition. And I want our elected leaders to explain the principles guiding their decisions. South Africa is a constitutional democracy, not the property of the ANC, or any humanitarian foundation. No individual should be feared into silence, and no individual should be treated as beyond criticism. We can appreciate humanitarian work while questioning political advocacy. We can respect religious freedom while defending the Constitution. SOUTH AFRICA FIRST IN ACCOUNTABILITY. THE CONSTITUTION FIRST IN THE RULE OF LAW. EVERYONE ANSWERABLE TO THE LAW. Credit: Tshepo Mosala