WATCH | Pretoria North Shop Owner Rejects Claims Of Selling Meat From The Floor After Viral Video

The owner of Euro Mini Market in Pretoria North has strongly rejected allegations that his business was selling meat from the floor, insisting that a viral video circulating on social media has been taken out of context.

Abdullah Hassan said the meat shown in the footage was not intended for sale and was instead Halal meat meant to be shared privately among members of the Muslim community.

His comments follow the closure of the shop by the City of Tshwane, which said the business was shut down for allegedly violating municipal by-laws.

Pretoria North Shop Closure Linked to Municipal Compliance Issues

Hassan confirmed that Tshwane metro police officers visited the premises and that he explained the situation to them during the inspection.

“I saw that some people have highlighted that we are selling it for customers and that it is a problem. That is Halal meat for Muslims. We bought a cow from a farm and that meat was meant to be shared among us. That is our culture,” he said.

He added that while Euro Mini Market does sell takeaway meals, the cooked meat used for those meals is sourced from a registered butchery. According to Hassan, the Halal meat shown in the video was bought directly from a farm for personal or family use.

Hassan further claimed that the only issue identified by metro police during their visit was a fire safety violation, which later resulted in the shop being closed.

Following the shutdown, Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya confirmed the closure on X, saying the city’s health and building control unit had taken action.

“But, if you see any movement, alert us. This year, let’s intensify our fight against non-complying businesses,” she said.

Viral Video Sparks Outrage and Online Backlash

The controversy stems from a video that shows two workers outside the shop packaging meat placed on a plastic sheet on the floor. The workers, who appear not to be wearing gloves, are seen portioning the meat into small buckets, weighing it, and sealing it in plastic before handing it to Hassan, who then takes it inside the shop.

Hassan described the social media post as “unfortunate”, saying it had affected his business “a little bit”.

“The person who took that video was drunk,” he said.

In the recording, a man believed to be filming the video can be heard saying: “Let me take two pieces there and I will take it that side, you braai it and you eat it. I want to see.”

Hassan responded in the clip that he would have no problem eating the meat.

The footage has triggered strong reactions online, with many users raising health concerns and calling for the business to be shut down permanently.

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“Foreigners running food business will forever be a bad thing to happen to this country,” one X user wrote.

Others urged authorities to take firm action against businesses operating outside the law. “This is disgusting to even look at. These people must be dealt with,” another user commented.

The shop remained closed on Monday, although Hassan said he is hopeful it will reopen soon, noting that the fire safety issues raised by metro police have since been addressed.

Tshwane Metro Police Department spokesperson Colonel Isaac Mahamba had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

Updated: 1/12/2026, 2:36 pm – This story has been updated to include the video.

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