South Africa’s Alleged Role in Funding Hamas Through a State-backed Islamic Organization

 

Over the past few years, controversy has been growing over Gift of the Gavers (GOTG), a South African organisation which has recently hit the headlines for a plethora of wrong reasons. From volunteering, good Samaritans have now ended up as evil doers of the highest level of international diplomacy.

The Man Behind the Curtain

Running through the middle of this storm is one man, Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, the founder of GOTG. It is easy to imagine a man who embodies hope from outside: a physician turned humanitarian. But if one scratches the surface, there is a lot to consider. Saysal outrageous activities such as in the past, it works hand in hand with the Al Aqsa Foundation which is in the black list now. It’s rather like learning the faithful and knowledgeable guardian of your health once preferred the company of dangerous men.

A Tale of Two Organizations

GOTG did not come out of the blue as so many would want us to believe. It emerged from the post-Al Aqsa Foundation, an organisation which found itself in trouble for alleged funding of terror. It’s one of the worst cases of a makeover that I have come across. Nevertheless, even with a brand new glamorous image, suggestions of GOTG’s links to organisations such as Hamas and Hezbollah remain today. The analogy I like to use is the act of putting an elephant under a lamppost; it can be done, but at one point or the other, somebody will see it.

The Hamas Connection

Now, let's talk about Hamas. What we have here is not just plain jane organization that could be encountered in any type of market. They’re a group that has racked up pretty pathetic scores across the face of the Middle East and Africa alone. And here’s the rub – GOTG has been linked to the Union of Good, which has been accused of being Hamas’ money man. That’s like discovering that bake sale happening in your neighborhood may be supporting a street gang.

Sticky Problems of South Africa

Well, one would assume that the South African government would be all over this, wouldn’t one? Well, hold onto your hats because they’re actually funding GOTG! We’re not just tinking of flipping some pocket change here, to those of you to might be unfamiliar with it. In claim, it has customary that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has invested billions of dollars in GOTG. You find yourself having discrete illusions that maybe somebody is sleeping at the job or that there is probably more to it than simply this.

The Bigger Picture

And this is not only the problem of one organization and one country. I believe we are dealing really with a global game of whack- a- mole when it comes to terror financing. It seems like every time a group that has been organizing gets shut down, another one emerges. Not unlike the proverbial, much frustrated efforts to try and stop a leaky dam: in the end, you just run out of fingers.

What Now?

So, what's the solution? Thus some are starting to demand that both Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood should be recognized as terrorists. You know it is most daring; there is no doubt about it. But given that the difference between giving and violence is becoming less obvious today than ever before, maybe what we want is daring.

I have lived happily ever after and this story is far from over. It’s politics, religion, and money all mixed together that will continue to spin in circles for more years to come. Of this one thing is for sure, this wound cannot be fixed by mere applying an adhesive bandage.