Turks in South Africa
Encyclopedia
Turks in South Africa are expatriates from the Ottoman Empire
or modern Turkey
who live in South Africa
, and their locally-born descendants.
living in colonial South Africa was Abu Bakr Effendi
, a religious scholar of Kurdish ethnicity. After he completed his studies in Baghdad
in 1861, the Ottoman government sent him to establish an Islamic education centre in Cape Town
for the benefit of the Cape Malays
, an early Muslim community in South Africa
.
In the late 1980s, firms in Turkey and South Africa began to establish business relationships. Turkish businessmen became especially active in the textiles sector in South Africa, and in late 2008 also began involvement in the energy sector. In Cape Town
, they have set up the Association of Turkish Businessmen, headed by Murat Yılmaz.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
or modern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
who live in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and their locally-born descendants.
History
One of the early expatriates from the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
living in colonial South Africa was Abu Bakr Effendi
Abu Bakr Effendi
Sheikh Abu Bakr Effendi was a Osmanli qadi who was sent in 1862 by the Ottoman sultan Abdülmecid I at the request of the British Queen Victoria to the Cape of Good Hope, in order to teach and assist the Muslim community of the Cape Malays....
, a religious scholar of Kurdish ethnicity. After he completed his studies in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in 1861, the Ottoman government sent him to establish an Islamic education centre in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
for the benefit of the Cape Malays
Cape Malays
The Cape Malay community is an ethnic group or community in South Africa. It derives its name from the present-day Western Cape of South Africa and the people originally from Maritime Southeast Asia, mostly Javanese from modern-day Indonesia, a Dutch colony for several centuries, and Dutch...
, an early Muslim community in South Africa
Islam in South Africa
Islam in South Africa pre-dates the colonial period, and consisted of isolated contact with Arab and East Africa traders. Many South African Muslims are described as Coloureds, notably in the Western Cape, including those whose ancestors came as slaves from the Indonesian archipelago...
.
In the late 1980s, firms in Turkey and South Africa began to establish business relationships. Turkish businessmen became especially active in the textiles sector in South Africa, and in late 2008 also began involvement in the energy sector. In Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, they have set up the Association of Turkish Businessmen, headed by Murat Yılmaz.