Deputy Minister warns about a dangerous path for South Africa

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Yusuf Cassim, warned that dividing South Africa is a dangerous path which will create an insatiable beast.

This followed anti-Muslim rhetoric and Islamophobic comments on social media after his appointment as Deputy Minister.

President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Yusuf Cassim as the Deputy Minister of Higher Education to his cabinet on 1 July 2026.

Cassim assumed office and was sworn into his new position at a ceremony in Pretoria shortly following the cabinet announcement.

As part of his appointment, the South African Presidency posted a picture of Cassim with a black beard and blue turban.

This prompted numerous negative comments on social media targeting Cassim’s appearance and religion.

Rather than addressing his political background, professional qualifications, or policy stances, online critics targeted his religious identity.

He brushed off the online backlash, saying his primary focus remains addressing structural issues in the higher education sector.

However, in an interview with Al Ansaar Media, he provided a more personal view on the attacks he had experienced.

“We all have a choice to make as South Africans as to what society we want to build for our children,” he said.

“We can decide to divide ourselves, or we can decide to unite ourselves. If we decide to divide ourselves, we will embark on a very dangerous pathway.”

He said that dividing the nation will lead to attacks on individuals and groups, with dangerous consequences.

“It’s not going to stop at attacking individuals based on their faith. It’s not going to stop then on attacking individuals on the basis of their ethnicity and background,” he said.

“This will become a monster or a beast that will be insatiable. It will consume the entire nation.”

“The divisions and hatred will consume every community, and it will prevent us from reaching our potential as individual South Africans and as a nation.”

Yusuf Cassim’s picture posted by the South African Presidency