WATCH | NEW SHARIA PARTY SEEKS OFFICE

Fri 30 May 2025:

New political entity, advocating for Sharia law, applies for IEC registration amidst controversy over founder’s past.

A new political party, the Islamic State of Africa (ISA), founded by Durban businessman Farhad Hoomer, has lodged an application with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to register, with a core agenda of implementing Sharia law and reintroducing the death penalty in the country.

Hoomer, who has previously faced accusations related to terrorism, aims to contest the upcoming local government elections, initially in the eThekwini Municipality, with an ultimate ambition for national governance.

According to Hoomer, the ISA is in the final stages of official registration. He believes that sharia law, a set of guiding principles for Muslims, is the solution to South Africa’s societal problems. “If you live under Sharia law, it is compulsory for the president that’s ruling to make sure there is no crime in the land, to abolish interest and drugs,” Hoomer stated. He further argued that countries practicing the death penalty experience lower crime rates.

Hoomer’s entry into politics has drawn attention, partly due to his past. He was previously arrested for attempted bombings and conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, though all charges were provisionally withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority. The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also announced sanctions in November 2022 targeting Hoomer and others as members of an Islamic State (ISIS) cell operating in South Africa.

Despite these accusations, Hoomer maintains his innocence and lack of a criminal record. “So does being accused still make me a criminal? If I have a criminal record, you can hold it against me but I don’t,” he told the Sunday Tribune. He also denies any links between ISA and extremist groups like ISIS, stating in an interview with SAfm, “There’s no link to the extremist group. I’ve been charged in 2018 for this, and I’ve been proven innocent with no criminal records.”

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Party Aims and IEC Scrutiny

Hoomer posits that democracy has failed, leading to increased poverty, crime, and social ills. He believes that under sharia law, “the government is obligated to provide work for people and if work cannot be provided then the government must give an income to the unemployed,” as he explained to the Sunday Tribune.

The IEC has confirmed receipt of Hoomer’s application and subsequent objections. Masego Sheburi, the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer of Electoral Operations, indicated that the application is to contest elections in the eThekwini Municipality. The Commission will assess the application for compliance with legal requirements, including whether the party has sufficient signatures from registered voters and if its name, logo, or constitution propagates violence, hatred, or causes serious offence, or discriminates based on race, gender, or other protected grounds.

Hoomer acknowledged the objections to his party and its name but claimed support from various community members, including a pastor formerly with the Democratic Alliance who is reportedly assisting with the registration process.

The ISA has reportedly begun preparations for the 2026 local government elections, viewing them as a step towards establishing a national footprint.