On a mission to expose fake halaal restaurants

A GOOD Samaritan has been on a crusade exposing local businesses and restaurants for allegedly displaying fake or fraudulent halaal certification.

Mohammed Mall, otherwise known as the Islamic Watchdog Movement, has exposed a number of establishments in Durban.

“I am not affiliated to any organisations, I am just one man trying to do the best for the community. I have been doing it for a number of years,” said Mall.

He said to be halaal was to be adherent and permissible by sharia (Islamic law).

“It is vital for Muslims and something that could not be compromised. People should be allowed to go to establishments and trust them. They do not have to worry if certification was fraudulent or that they were going against their religion,” he said.

Mall said he had not kept count of how many establishments he had exposed; however, the most recent incident was last week.

“An eatery in River Horse Valley advertised as being strictly halaal but followed no rules of suitability. I spoke to the owner, who advised that he believed they were halaal because their supplier was Muslim. He added that he had not sought halaal certification,” he said.

Mall said he consulted various halaal certifying bodies, whose role it was to confirm the status of establishments.

“I do it if I have a suspicion or when a concerned member of the public notifies me.”

He said there were cases where owners were apologetic and took immediate action, but then there were those who were adamant, unapologetic and didn’t take action.

“I therefore use social media to warn people of certain businesses or restaurants,” he said.

Ebi Lockhat, public relations officer for the SA National Halaal Authority (Sanha), an authority in the certification of halaal food and other related products, said their website had a veritable trove of information which could be accessed.

“In order for halaal certification, products should not contain traces of alcohol, blood or pork.

It also relates to the way an animal is slaughtered.

“The Sanha website has a listed registry of establishments which are certified. Recently certified, or places that have lost their certification are also listed,” said Lockhat.