All KFC staff are to be retrained on health regulations and have a new hotline to report behaviour which falls short of the company’s rules after footage was seen of fowl washed on a floor by workers at a Braamfontein store.
Senior account manager for KFC Ivana Naidoo said: “We will be rolling out a new training programme for all employees. We will be setting up a hotline for team members to anonymously report behaviour that goes against our requirements so that we always put our customers first”.
The fast-food chain had its feathers ruffled when a video clip and photographs showing two staffers hosing down piles of chicken on the ground at the Braamfontein outlet, was posted online.
Franchise owner Solomon Malebane, who has 22 other stores, explained that the two employees feared being fired for “crumbing” chicken intended for waste and were washing the flour and spices off the chicken pieces to avoid being found out.
KFC maintains that the chicken was never intended for human consumption.
The two staffers captured on film and Braamfontein’s management were receiving individual coaching, Naidoo said.
KFC restaurants have to follow global company norms and KFC also uses a third party South African company with professional health and safety and food safety auditors to inspect all its restaurants, unannounced, at least four times a year.
Other fast food outlets contacted by Weekend Argus, including Steers, McDonald's, Wimpy, Chicken Lickin’ and Frydays, said their health and safety standards were very high and vigilantly enforced.
Nandos’ Caroline Smith said Nando’s conducted regular restaurant audits and internal communication platforms were used to inform employees about procedures.
Frydays operations manager Shaun King, said they had a health and safety procedure for food preparation that was rigorously enforced and part of a daily routine. “But food never, ever goes on the floor,” he said.
Cape Town mayoral committee member for health Siyabulela Mamkeli said all food businesses in the city must adhere to the good manufacturing processes and good hygiene practices contained in the Regulations governing the general hygiene requirements for food premises and transport of food.
Compliance with this regulation is rewarded with a Certificate of Acceptability.
Mamkeli said when preparing food, adherence to these processes would minimise any risk to food safety.
“It is important to note that the regulations do not prescribe cleaning of different foodstuffs or ingredients, it merely requires the food to be safe. Chicken pieces do not have to be cleaned before cooking, it’s up to the restaurant to decide. Fruit and vegetables need to be washed and outer layers or skins removed before salads can be made for instance,” he said.
Environmental health practitioners conducted inspections to ensure standards were adhered to. Shortcomings were brought to the attention of management in a report or in a notice to the manager. In case of further non-compliance, after the notice, legal proceedings could be instituted.
Sunday Argus