Yes, those were cockroaches in Sandton: Doppio Zero

After reports of cockroaches being sighted at Doppio Zero Sandton, the restaurant chain hired Eco Lab to do an inspection at the site.

“We at Doppio Zero would like to acknowledge that we were, in fact, incorrect regarding our initial findings – the insect found at our restaurant is a very rare species of vegetative cockroach. This insect originates in plant material and is not an internal pest,” Doppio Zero said in a statement.

The error was understandable according to Ecolab, which said “These species of cockroaches are rarely found indoors and may easily be confused with a garden variety beetle. They are invertebrates and tend to occupy outdoor garden areas close to leaf matter and pose no threat to humans.”

That said, they did recommend repotting all the indoor plants with new soil to get rid of them, and that the gaps in the restaurant windows be proofed to avoid them getting back in.

Other than the cockroaches in the dining area, Ecolab gave the restaurant a clean bill of health, saying it had “good sanitation and hygiene practices in place” and a regular pest control service.

Doppio Zero has stated that it has “ensured that going forward our Pest Control efforts will be even more vigilant.”