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Name Association with Extremism

    1. Does the name “Islamic State of Africa” closely resemble known extremist and terrorist groups such as “Islamic State” (ISIS/ISIL)?
    2. Is this similarity likely to incite fear, confusion, and division among the public and could be perceived as glorifying or legitimizing such groups?

Public Safety and National Unity

    1. Could the name and symbol may pose a threat to national security and social cohesion by invoking ideologies historically associated with violence, oppression, and terrorism?
    2. Is this inconsistent with the democratic values enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa?

Potential Violation of the Electoral Commission Act

Could the registration of a party bearing such a name be seen as promoting or inciting hatred, violence, or intimidation, which violates the principles of the Act?

Offensive Symbolism

Could the party’s symbol and messaging “Free all of Mankind”, in combination with its name, be interpreted as a radical or militant agenda, raising concerns about its intentions and public perception?

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Public comments as delivered

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IEC statement on non-registration of ISA party

Original published notice

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) recently asked the public to comment on the potential registration of a new political party called the Islamic State of Africa (ISA).

How to register a political party (IEC)

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Parties issued with de-registration notices in 2025

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Party registration regulations (gov gazette)

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In the News

South Africa says NO to Islamic State political party’s Sharia ambitions

South Africa’s IEC Shuts Down Islamic State Political Party. South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has officially shut down a political party allegedly linked to the Islamic State, citing national security concerns and violations of electoral regulations. The move highlights the country’s firm stance against extremism infiltrating its democratic institutions. As the region grapples with growing radical influences, the IEC’s action sends a strong message about the protection of constitutional order and the rejection of extremist ideologies in South Africa’s political landscape.

New Islamic State Political Party for KZN

Dr Levy Ndou weighs in on SA Politics: Registration of Islamic State of Africa party

Islamic State of Africa eyes 2026 LGE: Farhad Hoomer. A Durban businessman, previously accused of terror related activities, has now ventured into politics. Farhad Hoomer has lodged an application to register a political party, Islamic State of Africa, with its manifesto focusing on implementing Sharia Law. He said Sharia Law, a set of guiding principles for Muslims, is the only way to fix everything wrong in South Africa. Hoomer also said the party plans to contest the upcoming local government elections to create a footprint, with its ultimate goal being the national government.

Registration of Islamic State of Africa party. Leader of the Islamic State of Africa political party, Farhad Hoomer has asked South Africans to keep an open and unprejudiced mind with regards to his organisation. This, as he seeks to have it registered with the IEC to contest the 2026 municipal elections countrywide. Hoomer was at the centre of controversy in 2018 when he was charged with terrorism and accused of being the leader of a local ISIS cell, but the charges were later dropped. His political ambitions have been subjected to public scrutiny with questions being asked about whether the party should be allowed to stand in the polls.

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Freedom of Religion SA (FOR SA)

TEMPLATE PROVIDED BY FOR SA

I strongly oppose the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill [B9B – 2018], which I believe to be unconstitutional and unnecessary, for the following reasons:

  1. The Bill violates our constitutional rights as religious persons to express our religious beliefs without fear of punishment or persecution (section 15, read with section 16). Increasingly, around the world but also in South Africa, various holy scriptures (particularly on contentious issues) are regarded as “politically incorrect” or “offensive”, allegedly causing emotional and/or social harm.
  2. I specifically oppose the Bill’s:
    1. wide definition of “harm” (in Clause 1);
    2. the failure to define “hatred” (in Clause 1); and
    3. definition of, and creation of, the crime of “hate speech” (in Clause 4).
  3. The creation of the crime of “hate speech” for saying / distributing something which could possibly be construed as “harmful”, will have certain unintended consequences, namely the criminalisation of good / well-meaning people who will be prosecuted for saying what they sincerely believe (according to their holy texts) and sent to jail.
  4. There are already sufficient existing laws dealing with “hate speech”.
  5. For all of the reasons given, I ask:
    1. For the scrapping of the “hate speech” sections from the Bill altogether;
    2. Alternatively, should the “hate speech” provisions remain part of the Bill, we ask:
      1. That “harm” be defined as: “gross emotional and psychological detriment that objectively and severely undermines the human dignity of the targeted group”; and
      2. That “hatred” be defined as: “strong and deeply-felt emotions of enmity, ill-will, detestation, malevolence and vilification against members of an identifiable group, that implies that members of that group are to be despised, scorned, denied respect and subjected to ill-treatment based on their group affiliation”.
    3. That Clause 4(2)(d) (the “religious exemption clause”) be strengthened as follows to protect:
      “expression of any religious conviction, tenet, belief, teaching, doctrine or writings, by a religious organisation or an individual, in public or in private, to the extent that such expression does not actively support, instigate, exhort, or call for extreme detestation, vilification, enmity, ill-will and malevolence that constitutes incitement to cause gross emotional and psychological harm that severely undermines the dignity of the targeted group, based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation”.