Angry Hanover Park residents are set to picket outside Shoprite at the terminus on Thursday morning after a decision by the store to close its halaal butchery.
Residents say the winkel, which has become an institution in the area, is “taking them by the gevriet” and that the decision was made without consulting loyal customers who have been supporting the store for years.
A notice on the store’s window reads: “Please note that from Monday (12 August) the butchery in this store will no longer stock halaal products. We do apologise for any inconvenience caused by this.”
A Muslim resident, who asked not to be named, says at first people thought the butchery would now have two sections - one halaal and one non-halaal.
Hanover Park residents are set to picket outside Shoprite at the terminus on Thursday. Picture: Monique Duval
“Nobody expected they would take the halaal section away completely because the Muslim community is so big here in Hanover Park. Now we hear they are gonna get pork chops. They’re taking us by the gevriet, man,” he says.
When the Daily Voice visited Shoprite on Wednesday, no pork products could be seen on the rakke.
According to a staffer, the pork is “on its way”.
Community worker, Ebrahiem Abrahams, says a group of religious and community leaders met on Wednesday and decided to picket outside the store.
“People are kwaad and the Muslim community feels disrespected by Shoprite,” he says.
“Both Muslims and non-Muslims are joining the picket because we are angry that they have made a decision like this without consultation.”
The pork is “on its way”. Picture: Saafia February
Shoprite says the decision comes after a “dramatic” decline in sales.
“Over the last year, Shoprite Hanover Park has seen a dramatic decline in consumer demand for halaal certified meat,” it said in a statement.
“A decision was therefore taken to reconsider the halaal certification of the store’s butchery.
“The much larger Shoprite Lansdowne Corner, just over 1km away, has a well-stocked halaal certified butchery and is well supported by its loyal customers.”
But Abrahams says the Shoprite at the taxi terminus is safe and central as it was not associated with any gang territory.
“People will not walk to Lansdowne Corner because you have to walk through Americans territory to get there. So mense living in other gang turf can’t sommer just walk through there.”
The picket had started at 8am.
Uproar over Shoprite notice.