Al Baraka Bank Rosebank Branch Discriminates Against Pakistani Nationals.

On 14 October 2020, my husband and I went to AlBaraka Bank in Rosebank Johannesburg as my husband wanted to open an Islamic bank account there. There were two bank tellers/advisors and we were ushered to the female assistant wearing a full burka. She told us that they won't open a bank account for my husband because he is from Pakistan. This is despite the fact that he has legitimate documentation and papers. She was not interested in looking at that. We asked her why Al Baraka was refusing to open an account for him based on his nationality considering the fact that this is an Islamic bank and has branches in Pakistan. She told us that the bank had listed "Pakistan as a high risk country" and won't open an account for him as a Pakistani. When we asked her how then does AlBaraka bank have branches in Pakistan she replied saying they are not branches they are subsidiaries, and they aren't connected to the Rosebank branch. What she said made no logical sense and we felt that she was clearly discriminating against him because he is a foreign national. Her behaviour was very much contrary to the principals of Islam and also against the constitution of South Africa. We subsequently went to a large South African bank that has won awards for Islamic banking and had no issue opening an account and were treated very professionally at that other bank. South Africa is a democracy where everyone should be treated with respect. Our impression of the teller was that she was xenophobic, unprofessional and a disgrace to Islam. There is no space in South Africa or anywhere in the world for hatred and racial discrimination. Foreign banks like AlBaraka should exit South Africa if they are going to conduct themselves in a unprofessional and hateful manner like Rosebank AlBaraka conducted itself on 14 October 2020. I will also report this issue to the Ombudsman for Banking Services.