Background

Somalia does not have a diplomatic representation in South Africa. The central government of Somalia has disintegrated long before South Africa become democratic. Somalis started streaming into South Africa from 1993 due to civil war that plagued their country. The formation of a voice for the community became an obligation. SASA was then established out of necessity in June 1998.

It was founded by a group of Somalis residing the greater Johannesburg. They were mainly professionals, business people and community figures. Soon the mobilization spread to other provinces of the Republic. Today, SASA is not only the oldest and largest organization within the immigrant communities but also the most effective. It has 5 fully functional offices and very huge network of individuals across the country.

Objectives

• To organize and energize the Somali community in SA.

• To educate the newly arrived Somalis the Dos and Don’ts in SA by orientating them.

• To build unity by inculcating the culture of peace, reconciliation and tolerance.

• To facilitate capacity building by mobilizing resources from within and without the community.

• To promote the ethos of self reliance and local integration.

• To promote language skills, higher education among youth, organize recreation facilities and health awareness.

• To combat the scourges of xenophobia, racism and all other social ills.

• To collect and disseminate information about and relating to the refugee community in SA.

• To defend the rights and the
welfare of the community.

• To liaise with all relevant government institutions, national and international organizations and civil society groups.

• To support and co-ordinate social welfare programmes aimed at alleviating the plight of vulnerable members of the Somali community, especially women, children and the disabled and the elderly.

SASA Achievement

In line with its mandate, SASA can proudly pronounce with limited resources it has represented the Somali community with diligence. Due to the absence of Somali diplomatic mission the community have a place to turn to. We have managed to exist a decade of community service.

SASA’s work is recognized by the different government departments, international organizations and civil society groups. It has received not less than 10 prestigious awards from various organizations.

Under a new slogan “A Decade of Community Service” SASA plans to fully reintegrate the immigrant community to the mainstream SA societies in 2008/2009.

Headquarter Office:

97th 7th Avenue Mayfair, Cnr Church Street 2092.

Johannesburg.

Tell: (011) 839 0939

Fax: (011) 837 8294/086 698 6423,

Cell: 082 481 1440

Cell: 072 567 5414

Cell: 083 432 6924

Website: www.somaliassociation.org

Email: info@somaliassociation.org

Provincial Offices:

Tshwane: 072 567 5414, Abdul Hassim

Eastern Cape: 072 665 5777/ 0783000783/, Abdirahman Y. Ahmed/ Abdirahman Nuur Jilley

Western Cape: 083 508 7440/0721980051, Hussein Omar, Mohamed Adan Osman

East London: 076 365 6143, A Hikam

Mpumalanga: 082 865 2614, Magan Dahir

Free State: 072 347 0669, Ibrahim Shil

Northern Cape: 072 222 3400, A Yusuf

North West: 073 397 7177, Mustafe

Limpopo: 073 983 1010 Adan Shugri

Kwazulu-Natal: 0793222180, Ismail Abdi Adan