The newly appointed Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sizakhele Dyanty, is expected to answer parliamentary questions regarding the number of individuals whose weapon license applications were rejected because they wore religious head coverings (hijabs) in their photographs.
The questions will be raised by DA party member Nicholas Gotswell, who serves on the Portfolio Committee on Police. The situation arose after the application for a weapon license submitted by Farzana Rahman, a resident of Parow, was allegedly declined because she was wearing a hijab in the accompanying photograph.
Rahman, who worked as a social worker for 15 years in the provincial government and now works for a local NGO in the same capacity, has been a victim of crime in recent years. She applied for the license for personal protection.
A representative from the Western Cape Police, F.S. van Wyk, stated that the national police are best suited to respond to media inquiries. However, the national SAPS media office has not yet provided a response.
Farzana Rahman's application from Parow was rejected due to her wearing a hijab in the photograph. Rahman expressed her feeling of distress over the continued existence of religious discrimination in modern times.
Questions on Policy and Standards
Nicholas Gotswell noted in his parliamentary question that a similar case was raised five years ago, when a woman appealed the decision and won the case. He asked SAPS whether they have a national policy, directive, or established guideline regulating the inclusion of religious head coverings in photographs submitted with applications for competency certificates and weapon licenses, and if so, what the relevant provisions are.
Furthermore, Gotswell requested information on whether any applications for competency certificates or weapon licenses have been detained, returned, or rejected since March 5, 2021, because the applicant was wearing a religious head covering in the photograph, despite the applicant's face being fully visible. He demanded clarification on the reasons for such decisions, their outcomes, and the duration of delays.
The deputy also inquired about the legal, regulatory, or political basis that allows for a different standard to be applied to photographs submitted for weapon license applications compared to the standards used by the Department of Home Affairs for South African Smart ID and passport applications. He further asked whether the provincial commissioner is aware of recent instances where a weapon license application was approved, but the license could not be issued due to the rejection of an accompanying photograph showing a religious head covering, and what steps will be taken to prevent such situations.
