Willem Els’ Islamophobic allegations on Terrorism, Madressahs and Mosques feed Phoney Narrative

Iqbal Jassat

Willem Els, leftover from the apartheid era in South Africa, still peddles hateful trash, this time against Muslim children studying in Madressahs (Islamic Schools)

Willem Els, a Senior Training Coordinator at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in South Africa, has once again raised alarm and fear about the threat of terrorism emanating from Muslim educational centres known as Madressahs.

In a recent TV interview on Newzroom Afrika, he was introduced as saying that South African children as young as 11 years old are being recruited and trained to commit acts of terrorism.

Unable to provide any credible evidence to substantiate his scandalous allegations, despite being pushed by the interviewer Xoli Mngambi, Els kept fumbling to avoid answering the question.

We have previously pointed out when Els initially was quoted in a News24 report saying much the same of nothingness, that such allegations are shamelessly Islamophobic and border on hate.

Indeed, his assertions are alarming, not because they reveal a credible threat to South Africa’s security, but because they are rooted in generalizations, lack evidence, and untested.

Els’ remarks not only mischaracterize what constitutes terrorism but also ignore real instances of violence and impunity closer to home.

What Constitutes Terrorism?

Terrorism is the use of violence or intimidation to achieve political or ideological objectives.

Els’ focus on Madressahs teaching kids about ethics, morals, and good neighborliness—as espoused by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)—strays far from this definition.

By conflating Islamic educational institutions—Madressahs—with extremist training, Els perpetuates baseless stereotypes ignoring the overwhelmingly positive role these schools play in fostering moral and civic responsibility.

The real danger lies in framing cultural and religious education as suspicious without evidence.

This not only stigmatizes Muslim communities but also shifts focus away from tangible threats that fit the legal and practical definitions of terrorism.

Ignoring Actual Terrorists

While Els warns of hypothetical threats, he remains silent on a glaring issue: the participation of South African citizens in the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

Despite South Africa’s prohibition on joining foreign armies as regulated by the Foreign Military Assistance Act (FMAA), many Jewish individuals are deployed in the Israeli military, an institution implicated in war crimes and the killing of women and children in Palestine.

As co-complainants with the Palestinian Solidarity Alliance (PSA) as well as the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC), including a number of individuals, we have lodged numerous comprehensive documents to the relevant authorities seeking prosecution of mercenaries engaged in terrorism and genocide of Palestinians.

Their active participation in war crimes, including the recent large-scale attacks on Gaza, align with the very definition of terrorism: violence against civilians for political purposes.

Why does Els focus on imaginary threats while ignoring the real perpetrators of violence?

South African citizens returning from active duty in the IOF face no consequences, despite laws prohibiting such involvement.

These individuals are not only complicit in a genocide but also potentially bring back extremist ideologies that could destabilize South Africa’s social fabric.

If Els is truly concerned about terrorism, this is where his attention should be directed.

The Hypocrisy of Selective Alarmism

Els’ remarks highlight a broader hypocrisy: the selective application of the term “terrorism.”

When it comes to children allegedly being radicalized in Madressahs, the alarm is immediate and exaggerated.

But when South Africans participate in state-sponsored violence targeting innocent civilians in Palestine, the silence is deafening.

This double standard reveals an underlying bias that undermines any genuine effort to address terrorism or promote justice.

South Africa faces real challenges related to security and inequality, but fearmongering about Madressahs diverts resources and attention from these issues.

Regrettably, Els’ fixation with eleven year old Muslim kids in Madressahs reflects a troubling tendency to sensationalize and misdirect attention.

Instead of focusing on hypothetical threats of the type Els is associated with, South African authorities should confront real instances of violence and impunity.

Iqbal Jassat is Executive Member at the Media Review Network, Johannesburg, South Africa

IslamophobiaSouth AfricaSouth African ApartheidWillem Elsspreading hateInstitute for Security Studies