WATCH: Jan Braai handing out 'kerriewors' outside Food Lover's Market sparks racism allegations

Clarence Ford chats to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman about stories online.

If you're a South African who loves a braai, you've probably heard of Jan Braai (real name, Jan Scannell).

Jan Braai is dubbed a 'braai master' with six best-selling books about his braai which are all available in English and Afrikaans.

However, Jan Braai's latest 'kerriwors' (a kerrie boerewors roll) collaboration with local grocer, 'Food Lover's Market' at Willowbrdge Shopping Centre is causing controversy.

In a now-viral video captured by bystanders and shared to social media, Jan Braai is being accused of 'racism' by some on social media who comment on how in the video clip he is hands out his kerrie boerewors rolls to every white person in the parking lot while 'ignoring' a coloured man in a blue tracksuit. 

The caption of the video read, "see how Jan Braai ignores the guy in the blue tracksuit."

Locals rushed to the comments section of the post to share their thoughts - with many stating Jan Braai was ignoring the coloured man with some calling for a Food Lover's Market 'boycott.'

After the video gained viral status, Food Lover's Market released a joint statement saying the racist allegations 'are simply not true' after deleting the original video and posting a new one which many found problematic. 

However, some social media users had already seen and screen-recorded the original video. 

Among the scores of social media users who spoke out over the orginal video was National Coloured Congress (NCC) PR councillor Anastatia Stacy Davids, who said: “Whether people want to shy away from this incident, a lot can be read into Jan Braai’s behaviour. Some of them try to do it subtly and with unintentional actions. But I’m glad I could screen-record it before he deleted it because already a lot were commenting in disgust. If he wasn’t guilty of anything, why delete the video?"

"We enjoyed a lovely day out at our Willowbridge store, giving customers a taste of the Jan Braai Kerriewors. Shoppers, from all walks of life, had great fun sampling delicious free boeries. We are aware of allegations making the rounds that only selected shoppers received boerewors rolls. This is simply not true."

- Food Lover's Market - Statement

The grocer went on to label the allegations 'laughable' and 'based on an uncharitable interpretation of a single video.'

"This allegation is based on an uncharitable interpretation of a single video, which was a small snapshot of the day.  Anyone who was there would find the allegation laughable."

- Food Lover's Market - Statement

Food Lover's Market also removed the original video because 'it was a poor reflection of just how successful and inclusive the day was' while mentioning that 'boeries were handed out to everyone' before posting an updated video, showing the 'inclusive' version of the day.

"I personally don't think this is the snapchat of this moment, the point is about your brand and brand manager and Food Lover's took the video and posted it - the point is, you need to have layers of checking because it never needed to happen." 

- Barbara Friedman, Barb's Wire - CapeTalk

"All I can say from a brand perspective is not well handled."

- Barbara Friedman, Barb's Wire - CapeTalk

"If you in 2024 are oblivious to this and how things are all about optics then it does come across as ridiculous." 

- Barbara Friedman, Barb's Wire - CapeTalk