The Muslim Judicial Council SA (MJC) acknowledges that the Muslims of South Africa have been deeply affected by the Orion pork certification saga and the subsequent broadcasting on the ETV's 3rd Degree programme on 17 January 2012.
 
Emotions in the muslim community intensified when the pork scandal resurfaced this week slamming the MJC for allegedly ducking questions on the issue after Orion Cold Storage, where the MJC Halaal Trust (MJCHT) allegedly certified some meat as halaal, and allegedly admitted to labelling pork, forbidden for muslims, as halaal. The MJC is the religious authority of muslims in SA. Since its inception in 1945 it has served the interest of the muslim community and has established the MJC Halaal Trust to regulate and oversee halaal certification. The MJCHT has ensured that since its inception all its certified foods consumed by muslims conform to the halaal standards as prescribed by Islam. MJC Secretary General, Moulana Abdul Khaliq E Allie, stated in a press statement that it has never certified pork meat or any product derived from pork.

"It is a fundamental principle and one adhered to diligently by the MJC Halaal Trust throughout history of service of the community. Orion Cold Storage was registered by the MJCHT as a potential importer of pre-certified halaal poultry and meat on a consignment basis.
Their contractual agreement refers to an individual certificate for each consignment cleared which is different to the registration certificated partly displayed on the 3rd Degree program. Furthermore, the labels printed during the fraudulent, criminal process were not MJCHT authorised MJCHT labels,"claimed Allie.

Speaking on calls for the disbandment of the MJC, he stated that this is a call made by the same organisations and individuals who have always undermined the MJC due to the protection of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaa'ah with anti-establishment rethoric.

"They are neither the muslim community nor representative of the muslim community but a clique who are bonded with mutual hatred of the MJC which they deem as an elite class, religious gangsters and mafias," claimed Allie.

Allie said they empathise with the community for the trauma they experienced through the lies and misinformation about the integrity of halaal under the supervision of the MJCHT.

"We reassure our beloved community that all imported meat and chicken cleared by the MJCHT, are indeed halaal," concluded Allie.