South Africa – The Muslim community thought they had found a political home within the ANC. However, many have decided to leave it and now find themselves looking for another home. A home which Sizwe Ummah Nation (SUN) can possibly provide.
More parties are being started in an effort to give people another voice. Sheikh Saeed Ncane, the SUN party leader, has a firm belief his political party can bring the change needed to the country.
“A lot of people are looking for a political home. In particular, us as Muslims. There are many challenges the country is facing and it’s crying. Be it service delivery, drug abuse and the current government, as a result of high corruption, they are not reacting accordingly. They will not only take themselves to destruction but the entire country.”
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The aim of the SUN
For Ncane, his political party is named as they wish to bring light to an era of darkness and corruption. It is a nation building project that aims to rectify the wrongs currently plaguing the country.
“If you abbreviate the name of the party it becomes SUN. With this project we want to bring light to this darkness. We want to become the sun that will [be a] bright light to this dark era of corruption and crime and all sorts of social imbalances. It is a nation building project. The word sizwe means nation and the word Ummah also means nation. This is a national building project that is headed by Ulama at the front as well as business people, intellectual people who have joined together and formed the party in 2015.”
Catering for every Muslim
Islam has spread throughout the world and in South Africa. Islam is not just for one group of people but for everyone. The SUN has recognised this with diverse members
“If you are looking at someone like myself, Allah (SWT) guided me to Islam 20 years ago. In that time, a lot has changed. A lot of different communities have come into the fold of Islam. We are also talking about that. We need to be part of the government machinery … We as Muslims, no matter where we are, we are a community that has been taken out as a benefit to mankind. As indigenous Ulama as well as other Ulama, we do talk that we have to start participating in politics.”
Last week the SUN had a national elective meeting. They elected a national interim structure and are now ready to promote the party for the 2024 elections. Their goal is to have representation in all nine provinces by 2024. By early next year, the party will have a permanent structure that will be decided by all provinces. For now, the party is focused on ensuring that each and every South African is aware of them, their objectives and goals.
