Memons in South Africa form a prosperous Muslim subgroup in that country's Indian community and are largely descended from Memons from Kathiawar who immigrated from India in the late 19th century/early 20th century.
[1] Villages and towns that South African Memons originated from include Porbander, Bhanvad, Ranavav and Jodiya.
Memons were converted to Islam by the progeny of Hadrath Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, around 700 families, in the 15th century.
Memons played a major role in the promotion of Islam in South Africa, and there have been rivalries for the management of local mosques between Memons and Surtis, who are Gujarati-speaking Sunni Muslims.
[2] This is primarily due to the different 'Maslak' (path) tablighis mainly Surti, and Sufi who are mainly Memon although they are far less prominent than they were in the past.