Cape Town - It is just over a week since the first Burger King in South Africa opened its doors and it is already courting controversy.
While Burger King is set to compete with McDonalds, Nando's and Steers, a call to boycott the outlet is coming from the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad).
Independent Online reported Pagad urging consumers not to support Burger King because franchise owner Hassen Adams is involved in gambling.
Adams, a Cape businessperson who bought the franchise for R9.1m, is the founder and director of Grand Parade Investments [JSE:GPL] (GPI).
GPI is a stakeholder of Grandwest Casino and Golden Valley Casino.
It also holds a share in Gauteng’s Carnival City Casino & Entertainment World, KwaZulu-Natal’s Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom, and the Eastern Cape’s Boardwalk Casino & Entertainment World, the agency reported.
“I must make it clear that this is not a personal attack on Adams because he is Muslim, but because of what he represents,” Pagad spokesperson Osman Sahib told the publication.
He said that gambling is forbidden in Islam and Christianity.
"For the same reason we ask our people not to support GrandWest Casino or go into liquor stores, we want people to avoid Burger King."
EWN reported that Pagad also raised concerns over the validity of the Halaal certification process.
It asked the Islamic Council of South Africa to probe the matter.
Burger King has 13 000 stores in 88 countries.
"We plan to become the leader in the fast-growing quick-service restaurants sector in South Africa", Burger King SA CEO Jaye Sinclair told Business Day at the time of launching the franchise.
The first Burger King in South Africa opened its doors in Cape Town on May 9.
- Fin24
While Burger King is set to compete with McDonalds, Nando's and Steers, a call to boycott the outlet is coming from the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad).
Independent Online reported Pagad urging consumers not to support Burger King because franchise owner Hassen Adams is involved in gambling.
Adams, a Cape businessperson who bought the franchise for R9.1m, is the founder and director of Grand Parade Investments [JSE:GPL] (GPI).
GPI is a stakeholder of Grandwest Casino and Golden Valley Casino.
It also holds a share in Gauteng’s Carnival City Casino & Entertainment World, KwaZulu-Natal’s Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom, and the Eastern Cape’s Boardwalk Casino & Entertainment World, the agency reported.
“I must make it clear that this is not a personal attack on Adams because he is Muslim, but because of what he represents,” Pagad spokesperson Osman Sahib told the publication.
He said that gambling is forbidden in Islam and Christianity.
"For the same reason we ask our people not to support GrandWest Casino or go into liquor stores, we want people to avoid Burger King."
EWN reported that Pagad also raised concerns over the validity of the Halaal certification process.
It asked the Islamic Council of South Africa to probe the matter.
Burger King has 13 000 stores in 88 countries.
"We plan to become the leader in the fast-growing quick-service restaurants sector in South Africa", Burger King SA CEO Jaye Sinclair told Business Day at the time of launching the franchise.
The first Burger King in South Africa opened its doors in Cape Town on May 9.
- Fin24