Back in March Spur was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, a video filmed in their Glen Shopping Centre restaurant going viral in a massive way.

We covered that video, and how the man at the centre of it all has been protected by his home town (HERE), but something that has slipped largely under the radar is just how bad for business the incident really was.

The Daily Maverick’s Rebecca Davis has hit this one out of the park, going with the headline “A Taste for Strife“, in a story that outlines how “the Afrikaans right wing” has launched a “Facebook-mobilised boycott campaign which is packing a powerful punch”.

Let’s get stuck in:

On Facebook, a “Boycott/Boikot Spur” page was established on the same day that footage of the incident went viral: Human Rights Day. “STOP SUPPORTING #DISCRIMINATINGSPUR!” read one of its first messages. “BOTH PARTIES SHOULD’VE BEEN BANNED FROM SPUR, NOT ONLY THE WHITE FAMILY!”

It’s not clear who was behind the Facebook page, but credit for the idea of a Spur boycott has been claimed by the Front Nasionaal, the right-wing political party formed before the 2014 elections which failed to win a single parliamentary seat.

I have some really good news – you can find that Facebook group right HERE.

Two screenshots to whet your whistle – first the cover photo:

And the ‘About’ page – Spur is BIASED!

One more? Yeah, one more.

I’ve cropped the photo out, because the poor woman has been through enough, but she is fully clothed and is taking a selfie.

That’s the calibre of people we are dealing with. One of the first postings on the group:

“We also launch the ‘Boycott Spur’ campaign, after a racial incident where a white man was banned from Spur, while a black woman was praised for her racist actions. The boycott brings Spur to its knees, to such a point that the chief executive and founder eventually sells all his shares and withdraws.”

Here’s the really sad bit – it isn’t the big bosses at Spur who are really kakking off, with founder Allen Ambor having recently sold his stock for R100 million after listing them for sale well before the March incident.

Many are reluctant to speak openly to media about their experiences for fear of further victimisation. Those who are willing to talk sound as if they are still trying to process what has happened to their businesses.

“My worst affected store is down 45% in turnover,” says franchise-owner Morné Brown. “And that’s based on last year’s figure for this time, not on the growth you need to cope with inflation. It’s half the trade you used to have – 45% is a closedown figure.”

…a few of his other stores are experiencing drops of business “in the 20s”. They are located in predominantly Afrikaans areas like Litchtenburg, Kroonstad, Upington and Sekunda. He says managers of his stores have also been accosted in public for wearing shirts with Spur branding…

His experience is echoed by fellow franchise-holder Ranson. He has owned his Spur in Welkom for 34 years.

“In 34 years I have never seen anything like it,” he says. “We are battling. We are suffering. This month we are down about 23% in turnover as of yesterday.”

Chief Operating Officer of Spur, Mark Farrelly, has acknowledged that the losses run well into the millions for the franchise’s bottom line, but props to them for sticking to their guns – even if it did take them a while to act:

“It was an assault by a large male on a young child. It shouldn’t even be reduced to a question of race. The aggression that lies under the surface in this country is crazy. The abuse of women and children in this country is pandemic. We are not going to sit by and allow one of those things to happen. I don’t think it’s appropriate to take a middle road: badly behaved individuals should not be allowed to eat in family restaurants.”

Farrelly [above] believes that much of the anger from certain sectors of the white Afrikaner population is based on the circulation of fake news and misconceptions about the incident. He says that most people only saw half the total video footage, and that the full footage – which Spur has in its possession – makes the situation crystal-clear. “But we are not going to put that footage out to endanger a child,” he says. “We’ve said: ‘Come to our offices. You can view it there. But nothing leaves our premises’.”

No one is coming to their premises, and for the franchisees struggling to stay afloat it really is crunch time:

Franchise-owner Brown is himself Afrikaans and white.

“That [racial] incident happened out of Texamo Spur. Spur Corporation made a call [to deal with it]. What did Morné Brown do wrong?” he asks. “We did a lot for our community. Our hands were open to support everyone. The Spur outlook is to be involved in your community and help when help is needed.”

…Now difficult decisions face franchise-holders in the worst-hit areas.

“We are looking at retrenchments now: people with kids,” says Brown. “I’m heartsore.”

Well done, right wing Afrikaners boycotting Spur, you’re really sticking it to the man.

[source:dailymaverick]