The Great Halal Debate The Karens and Kevins across the colour spectrum have been surfacing from their cozy bigoted holes to flex. This time it’s Halaal meat and food that’s on the chopping block. Karen compares the cost of Woolworths peppered roast beef slices versus gammon slices and laments that the average South African cannot afford this. She has a point. No wait hear me out. The cost of living is real and it is a struggle. But Karen is being deceptive. Her bold claim that average South Africans can’t afford the peppered roast beef has all the vibes and energy of “Let them eat cake.” Marie Antoinette (in the famous myth) and the 1840 Gold Spoon campaign both exploited the idea of luxury food to paint inclusion of anyone else as a burden on “ordinary” people while ignoring real hardship. Karens are doing the same with 125 g of peppered beef versus 250 g of pork. Halaal certification costs are negligible when spread across volume. Beef has always been more expensive than pork for basic supply-and-demand and production reasons. This is simple economics. Meanwhile the actual cost of living crisis for millions is …. Wait for it….. employment, housing, and basic services like water and electricity! . Not whether Woolworths roast beef is Halaal. And certainly not peppered roast beef. Using roast beef as the frontline of the cost-of-living crisis to perpetuate an anti-Muslim campaign while pretending it’s all about the poor is next level elite disconnect and dishonesty. Then there’s Kevin, who seems to think someone is holding a gun to his head and compelling him to buy Halaal food or eat at a Halaal restaurant. What Kevin fails to understand, or perhaps deliberately ignores, is basic consumerism and the economics of doing business in a country as spectacularly diverse as South Africa. Consumers have a choice: buy it or don’t buy it. Anyone in business wants to appeal to as many people as possible. Including Halaal and Kosher and vegan offerings on the menu makes business sense. Muslims and Jews and vegans can consume the products; for those for whom this is a non issue Halaal or not is irrelevant, we can still choose to consume those products or not. It’s all quite simple. Or it should be. But it isn’t when there is a deliberate and orchestrated campaign to disinherit and demonise an integral community in our multi-racial, multi-faith country. Nearly all Karens and Kevins agree “the Muslims are taking over” they are bringing their “sharia law” and using Halal to carry out this audacious move. Quick jump into your boats and paddle off in panic. Or read a little more if you have the stomach for objectivity and just basic common sense! Which apparently is in short supply and comes at an even high price that peppered roast beef 😭 Here’s a little secret: Pork isn’t the kryptonite of Muslims. They don’t self-combust if they touch it, see it or smell it. Just as beef isn’t the bane of Hindus. But the bigots love using it like it’s the rabbit out of the hat move! Here’s the thing folks eating halal is not going to magically turn you into a Hafiz or Hafiza reciting Arabic poetry and numerals and conjuring up obscenely delicious foods. Which is rather a pity, personally I would love to speak an exotic language. And Businesses who choose inclusivity to sell Halal or Kosher or include vegan options, know it’s not only the smart way to do business but it’s also the South African way to do things. If there is one thing that must be investigated and needs a commission of enquiry, in this whole great Halal debate, is WHY after three centuries of being very much an intrinsic part of both community and country, are Muslims only now “forcing” millions to consume halal? This is service delivery at its slowest people. Especially considering “they are taking over the country” THREE HUNDRED years of peaceful coexistence, Halaal food and products. This must be the worst take over in the history of take overs. ✌🏾🇿🇦🇿🇦✌🏾🇿🇦