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nikesh M

1 reviews | Active since May 2013

22 Dec 2024, 23:59

Violation of Religious Beliefs at Food *****s Market Cornubia

Dear Food *****s Market Team,

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment and outrage regarding an incident that occurred at your Cornubia store on 21st December 2024.

At the pie counter, I specifically requested one chicken pie and one steak pie, repeating my order three times to ensure clarity. Despite this, I was served a steak pie. To make matters worse, there was a sign clearly labeling the tray as containing chicken pies, yet the tray was stocked with steak pies. This level of negligence is utterly unacceptable and shows a lack of basic care and attention to detail.

As a follower of the Hindu faith, consuming beef or steak is strictly forbidden. I only realized the mistake after biting into the pie, which left me feeling deeply violated and disgusted. This is not just an error—it is a gross violation of my religious beliefs, morals, and values.

To make matters worse, the manager on duty admitted this was not the first time such an incident had occurred, which further demonstrates a systemic lack of respect and accountability. It is clear that the store managers, food managers, supervisors, and the staff member who served me are all negligent in their responsibilities. They must all be held accountable and disciplined appropriately.

This repeated disregard for religious beliefs is appalling and reflects a culture of carelessness and insensitivity. I will also be escalating this matter to the South African Hindu Maha Sabha to ensure such practices are addressed and prevented.

I demand:

1. An immediate investigation into this matter.

2. A formal written apology from the store.

3. A clear explanation of the disciplinary actions taken against all responsible staff, including managers and supervisors.

4. Concrete steps to prevent future incidents, including proper labeling protocols and comprehensive staff training on cultural and religious sensitivity.

You can contact me via Email and Telephonically. I expect a prompt and thorough response to address this serious matter.

Sincerely, Mr Nikesh Moodley

0
Replies (5)
Food Lovers Market
Food Lovers Market's reply23 Dec 2024, 08:13
Official
Dear Nikesh, 

We sincerely regret the negative experience you have had. We will investigate this matter further and escalate onto the relevant parties and they will be in contact with you and ensure the matter gets resolved. 

Thank you once again for bringing this matter to our attention. 

Thanks, The FLM Team 
Food Lovers Market
Food Lovers Market's reply27 Dec 2024, 10:29
Official
Dear Nikesh,

We do apologize for the delay. 

We will follow up with the relevant parties 

Thanks, The FLM Team 
nM
nikesh M's update27 Dec 2024, 11:33
Reviewer Update
I am still awaiting someone to contact me, it's now 3 working days and I still haven't received feedback or an update. Goes to show the lack of urgency and total disregard. Kudos 👏🏼
nM
nikesh M's update27 Dec 2024, 12:36
Reviewer Update
Dear FLM Team,

I must express my frustration with this lackluster response. It is disappointing that I only received any update after having to follow up myself. As a paying customer, I expect proactive communication, especially when there are delays.

Your vague promise to "follow up with the relevant parties" is insufficient. I expect a clear timeline and concrete details on the actions being taken to resolve this matter promptly. The lack of transparency and urgency is unacceptable and reflects poorly on your service.

Please prioritize this issue and provide me with a meaningful update without further delay.

Regards,
Nikesh
nM
nikesh M's update07 Jan 2025, 09:50
Reviewer Update

Hi Mr Kara,

Thank you for your response and for outlining the measures taken to address the incident at your Cornubia store on December 21, 2024. While I appreciate the feedback and the actions implemented, I believe some critical concerns remain unresolved.

Here are my key points:

1. Emotional and Spiritual Impact:
The response does not fully acknowledge the depth of the violation.

Consuming beef is a significant transgression against my religious beliefs, just as pork is in your religious beliefs and has caused severe emotional and spiritual distress. Your response doesn't give this the importance it deserves, clearly this aspect had been brushed aside because "our colleague made a mistake serving yyouthe incorrect pie". It's way more than that, sir your "Colleague" had a try of beef/Steak pies labeled incorrectly on display, how many other Hindus already compromised their religious beliefs because of your "Colleagues mistake".

2. Accountability:
The staff member, supervisors, and management team responsible have been held accountable as stated.

Your response does not clarify what disciplinary actions have been taken, which I explicitly requested.The fact that this occurred the 2nd time as stated by the store manager means that someone or some people shouldn't be there anymore.


3. Cultural and Religious Sensitivity:
While refresher training has been conducted, a one-time session is insufficient.

I would like to see a sustained commitment to regular training programs focusing on cultural and religious sensitivity.
Please elaborate more on who is conducting these sessions?, what kind of Learning material is being used, will there be visual aids present around the prepared foods section so that it creates awareness at all times. Is this training only applicable to the Cornubia store or will it be conducted throughout three chain.


4. Systemic Issues:
The manager admitted this is not the first incident of its kind.
This highlights deeper systemic issues that need to be addressed beyond immediate procedural fixes.

5. Violation of Rights:
The response does not address the infringement on my constitutional right to practice my faith without such violations.

This is not just a procedural error but a breach of respect for religious and cultural diversity.

6. Restoration of Trust:
It is unclear what steps Food *****s Market will take to restore trust and confidence for me and the broader community.
As requested the formal apology to myself and the Hindu community needs to be published on public platforms. This is just not about me but the entire Hindu community and any other voiceless victims.

I respectfully request further clarification on these points and a clear commitment to prevent future incidents of this nature. I look forward to your response and can be reached by email or call.

Lastly I would like to place on record that I am also in discussion with a few religious organizations that I work with on this matter.

Regards,
Nikesh Moodley