You doek my dignity: Woman slams airport for hijab humiliation

A Muslim woman has slammed OR Tambo International Airport after security guards tried to force her to remove her hijab to do a body search.

Nadia Jacobs, a professional coordinator for events that focus on women empowerment and spirituality, claims the incident took place on Sunday.

The Capetonian says it was clear she was being profiled based on her appearance.

“When you go through the metal detector the alarm normally goes off, you then either have to go back and see what’s in your pockets, but the alarm didn’t go off,” she says.

“I took off my bangles, my watch – everything – before I went through and as I went to fetch my things, a woman called me to one side and said she needed to search me.

“I said but the alarm didn’t go off, so she said it’s because of the doek, those were her exact words.”

She tells the Daily Voice she felt targeted as a Muslim.

“That thing left a bitter taste in my mouth, so I retaliated. I said: ‘Sorry, I’m not going to let you search me because you’re profiling me because I’m wearing a hijab.’

“She said to me those are the rules and then a big man came to me and spoke loud in an intimidating manner.

“When I said to him the alarm didn’t go off, you’re profiling me because I am Muslim and wearing a hijab, he told me I could go into a room and take it off there.”

Nadia says she stood her ground and told them she wouldn’t take it off.

“There are people who wear wigs and braids and they are not told to take them off.

“I didn’t go to the room and I didn’t take my hijab off.

“They ended up patting me on the head and at the time I was crying, because of how they treated me.

“They intimidated me, there were about five people.

“This was Islamophobia, I couldn’t put this on anything else. I want a public apology, I’m still shaken about this,” she adds.

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) said in a statement: “Airports all around the country are beginning to experience a steady increase in passenger volumes, both domestically and internationally, and in the interest of keeping everyone safe, Acsa will continue to adhere to all internationally recognised standard operating procedures as well as compliance to National Aviation Legislation and regulations that strives to ensure the security and safety of passengers.

“This includes random physical searches that are performed for all passengers after a certain number of people have passed a secured point at the airport, in line with the security manual of the Intentional Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a United National agency.

“These random searches will be conducted for all travellers even when there wasn’t a trigger by the security equipment.”

Acsa stated these physical searches include examining passengers’ headgear, headwraps, hijabs, burkas, doeks, izicholo or niqabs.

“We categorically state that Acsa doesn’t have policies that discriminate against any passengers or airport users on the basis of gender, race, cultural beliefs, religion or place of origin.

“There is absolutely no truth to these allegations,” states Mzwandile Petros, group executive security representative.

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