Yusuf Seedat, affectionately known to friends and
colleagues as 'Tara', has made a place in the hearts of
thousands of people on the African continent. Born to a
poor family in 1941 in Johannesburg, Seedat was
nevertheless blessed with parents who inspired him to
become the person he is today. However, by his own
admission, poverty did not re?ect negatively on his
character, but rather strengthened his outlook on life. In
1969, he started a clothing business, which although
successful presented many hardships. In 1976, after the
student uprising when the riots began, Seedat was forced
to sell his business. He says “My life was a school of
knocks, each experience teaching me something
signi?cant about myself. Islam became a central part of my
life when in 1975 I met a very pious man from India, Mufti
Mehmood Sahib Rehmatulla Alay and my entire life
changed. Through the grace of Allah, my association with
this pious person was a blessing that guided me through till
today, and he would forever be a role model to me.” Seedat
has been involved in charitable work for the past 25 years,
during which time he was with the Africa Muslim Agency
(AMA) from 1992-1996, and then with SANZAF from 1996
to date. His most profound project with the AMA was the
aid given to Somalia, during a time when hundreds of
Somalians were dying from hunger, lack of clean water
and medical aid. Seedat is well-known and respected in
the community because he does not only work for
SANZAF but has also become a strong representative of
the organization and always gets involved in the
groundwork of each project – from collecting funds to
distribution. He is also known for his willingness to join
community initiatives to strengthen the position of
disadvantaged communities.
Yusuf
Seedat
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CORPORATE SOCIAL REVIEW