Browse the site and make a Donation Now!
Islamic Relief South Africa is currently responding to a growing humanitarian crisis affecting displaced migrant families across the country, following escalating tensions surrounding migration in various parts of South Africa.
In recent weeks, thousands of foreign nationals, including families from Malawi and neighbouring countries, have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge outside consulates, government offices, and temporary shelters amid growing uncertainty and safety concerns.
The situation has left many women, children, and elderly individuals exposed to harsh winter conditions, without access to adequate food, shelter, healthcare, or other basic necessities.
Islamic Relief South Africa has mobilised emergency relief teams to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to those affected.
KwaZulu-Natal:
In Durban, in partnership with Disaster Management and the World Memon Organisation, we have distributed over 500 essential hygiene packs to displaced foreign nationals who were forced from their homes in KwaZulu-Natal.
As tensions escalated further, our team responded to another group of displaced individuals who had sought refuge at the Home Affairs offices on Moore Road.
Emergency assistance provided included the distribution of 120 winterisation kits, helping vulnerable individuals access warmth and protection during the harsh winter conditions.
Gauteng:
As displacement spread to Gauteng, Islamic Relief South Africa’s emergency response team responded to the growing humanitarian needs of foreign nationals seeking refuge outside consulates in Pretoria and Rosettenville.
Emergency aid distributed included:
Our teams identified urgent healthcare concerns on the ground, particularly among young children and vulnerable mothers exposed to prolonged cold weather conditions.
In response to growing medical needs, Islamic Relief has also provided:
As needs continue to grow, our teams have remained on the ground, working in collaboration with humanitarian organisations and community partners to ensure urgent assistance reaches those most in need.
Our team has also engaged directly with diplomatic representatives assisting affected families, as we continue coordinating humanitarian support efforts where they are needed most.
At Islamic Relief South Africa, we believe humanitarian assistance must always be guided by compassion, dignity, and the protection of human life.
Regardless of nationality, immigration status, race, or background, every individual deserves to be treated with humanity and respect.
As this situation continues to evolve, our teams remain committed to monitoring developments and responding wherever urgent humanitarian assistance is required.
Your support helps us respond rapidly to emergencies affecting communities in need across South Africa.
Donate today and help us continue delivering urgent humanitarian assistance to those who need it most.
Following severe weather conditions across the Western Cape, Islamic Relief South Africa is providing emergency relief to support vulnerable families affected by heavy rainfall, flooding, strong winds, and cold temperatures. These conditions have placed significant pressure on communities, particularly those living in informal settlements and flood-prone areas, where homes, belongings, and livelihoods are at risk.
Working in coordination with Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and relevant stakeholders, we have begun responding to the needs of displaced households in areas such as Kampies in Philippi. As part of the immediate response, teams are distributing thousands of hot meals to families who have been affected by the severe weather conditions.
Assessments are currently ongoing across Kampies and other impacted communities to better understand the scale of the damage and the needs of affected households. As the situation continues to develop, further humanitarian assistance will include the provision of food aid, clean drinking water, and essential flood relief items such as mattresses, blankets, and hygiene kits to support families during this difficult period.
When an emergency strikes, Islamic Relief aims to be the first on the ground, to provide emergency relief and help those affected immediately.
Global and local emergencies place the lives of entire populations in jeopardy with devastating long-term effects. Our Local Emergencies Fund ensures that we can respond to disasters within 72 hours to assist with the recovery to help rebuild lives.
At Islamic Relief, we not only save lives, we help rebuild them – we stick around even after the situation has calmed, helping families put their lives back together again. Where people are affected by the same disasters over and over, we think about how to prepare these people before an emergency strikes.
Approximately 82 structures and 450 people were affected by a blaze that broke out on Monday, 23 December 2024, in Masiphumelele, in Cape Town.
Electricity to the area – which was shut off to mitigate any potential risk from overhead wires – has since been reconnected and the fire site has been secured.
National and provincial government facilitated clean up, ensuring that affected homeowners received building materials, and that psychosocial support was made available.
As a humanitarian relief partner to the City of Cape Town, Islamic Relief collaborated with other non-profit organisations to provide hot meals for seven days, to those affected by the fires. Food parcels were also provided after structures were rebuilt.
In July 2024, severe weather wreaked havoc across the Western Cape, with strong winds, torrential rain and floods destroying thousands of informal settlements. Over 10,000 people were affected, with thousands more displaced.
Islamic Relief assessed the needs and responded to those affected by the storm. We coordinated response efforts with Cape Town Disaster Risk Management, addressing numerous weather-related incidents and provided hot meals, sandbags, mattresses, blankets and water to those in need.
A massive storm and tornado hit the northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal in mid-2024, causing extensive damage to homes, roads and infrastructure. The severe weather left over 1,200 people homeless, with collapsed electricity poles leading to widespread power outages in Tongaat and many parts of eThekwini.
Our teams provided immediate support to displaced families and restored essential services in the most affected areas.
Your support was essential in contributing towards emergency shelter for displaced families, food, clean water supplies and hygiene packs.
Everything you need to know about how Islamic Relief South Africa responds when disaster strikes local communities.
Islamic Relief South Africa aims to be among the first on the ground when disaster strikes. Our dedicated Local Emergencies Fund is structured to enable rapid mobilisation, with the goal of reaching affected communities within 72 hours of a crisis. This pre-positioned funding means we do not have to wait for a fundraising campaign before we can act.
Speed matters in emergencies. The faster aid reaches families, the more lives and livelihoods can be protected. That is why maintaining a standing emergency fund is central to how we operate.
We respond to a wide range of natural and man-made disasters across South Africa. Our teams have experience responding to:
We work wherever the need is greatest, guided by our commitment to serving all people regardless of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.
Yes. Some of our most significant recent local emergency responses include:
We do both. Immediate relief, such as food, water, shelter and hygiene supplies, is the first priority. But we do not leave once the cameras move on. Islamic Relief South Africa remains present in affected communities to help families rebuild their homes, restore their livelihoods, and regain stability.
Where communities face recurring disasters, we also invest in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) work, helping people to prepare and protect themselves before the next emergency strikes. This long-term commitment is what sets us apart from once-off relief efforts.
Coordination is essential to an effective emergency response. Islamic Relief South Africa works as a recognised humanitarian relief partner alongside government bodies, including the City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management, to ensure our response is aligned with official assessments and does not duplicate efforts.
We also work alongside community leaders, religious organisations, and other NGOs to reach the most vulnerable people as efficiently as possible. This collaborative approach ensures that aid goes where it is needed most, without gaps or duplication.
Yes. Islamic Relief South Africa is a registered independent non-profit organisation, operating in South Africa since 2004. Our NPO registration number is 043-357-NPO. We are fully accountable to our donors, our beneficiaries, and the communities we serve, and we publish an annual impact report detailing how every rand is spent.
You can donate to our Local Emergencies Fund at any time, not only when a crisis is in the news. Your donation allows us to pre-position resources and respond immediately when disaster strikes. Donations can be made:
No. Islamic Relief South Africa serves all people in need, regardless of race, religion, gender, political affiliation or belief. Our work is guided by Islamic values of compassion and justice, but our assistance is extended to every person who needs it. We allocate resources based on need alone, and we never expect anything in return.
We conduct thorough needs assessments before and during every response to ensure resources are directed to the most vulnerable people. Our Grant Application Process (GAP) helps us identify and verify eligible families and communities. We also work with local community leaders and social workers who have on-the-ground knowledge of who is most in need.
Our commitment to transparency means we report publicly on how funds are used. Approximately 87 cents of every rand donated reaches our programmes directly.