Wait‚ is there polony on that kota?

South Africa’s deadly listeriosis outbreak has fast food lovers salivating over the treat many are now too afraid to touch – the famous kota or Gatsby.

Russian sausages‚ Vienna’s and polony are vital ingredients in the giant home-grown “sandwich” meals which are popular due to their affordability and being filling.

The Gatsby‚ a foot-long‚ submarine-style sandwich is a firm favourite in the Western Cape. Oozing with sauce and crammed with cheese‚ fried chips‚ eggs‚ masala steak‚ Russian and Vienna sausages topped with polony‚ they are often cut up and shared among friends.

The kota has a similar reputation but is packed into a hollowed out quarter loaf of bread. Business Times reported in 2016 that informal township stores selling these type of fast food delicacies across the country comprised an “invisible market” estimated to be valued at about R10-billion.

But the mass recall of processed meats made by Enterprise and Rainbow Chicken‚ which the department of health has linked to consumers falling ill‚ could have a major impact on the famous dishes. Consumers are wary and concerned about their health.

Food vendors have tried hard in the past few days to reassure customers by offering alternative‚ albeit likely more expensive‚ ingredients or sourcing their meat from independent butchers

Kota Joe Operations manager‚ Lindsey Lottering‚ said products they believed to be contaminated were immediately removed.

“Once the news broke that the disease was prominently found in polony‚ pork products and cold meats‚ we immediately withdrew those products off our menu until a full investigation was done . We have since contacted all our suppliers who have done their investigations and have sent us letters regarding the matter ensuring that their products have been tested and are free of the listeriosis disease‚” said Lottering.

Neo Matlala tweeted his vision of what the “new age” kota would be transformed into – a quarter loaf stuffed with boiled eggs‚ cucumber and sliced peppers. “Are we going to cope‚” he asked.

Rhulani Shibambor‚ owner of Kota Kings in Protea Glen told radio 702  that business had slowed considerably. “I’m having a bad day today. It’s slow‚ slow at the shop‚” he said on Monday.

He is offering customers kota’s filled with rump steak‚ burger patties or chicken as alternative fillings. “It is going to affect us‚” he said when asked if the recall of processed meats was damaging his business. But he added: “I know how to turn things around when days are dark.”

Food lovers in Cape Town took to social media to vent about the implications of having to steer clear of the polony Gatsby. “First the drought now we can’t have polony in a Gatsby. What next Cape Town .... What next‚” asked CJ Reddy on Twitter.

Quinton Jones suggested Gatsby lovers stick to the masala steak variety instead.

Others lamented suggestions that the giant sandwich could be filled with vegetables instead. Capetonian Dane Tomson shared a video on Facebook that suggested spinach‚ curry‚ homemade mayonnaise and Asian plum chutney as ingredients.

Commentators were horrified at the thought. Hameeda Essop commented: “Lady that is not a Gatsby‚ SPINACH!”

Sam Christians commented: “What the hell is that!!!!”

Samantha Loggenberg commented: “Spinach on a Gatsby please. Said no one‚ ever.”

While consumers have lamented over the fate of the polony Gatsby‚ food outlets making them in and around Cape Town pulled out all the stops to reassure customers that their meals were safe.

Yousri Hartley‚ owner of Cosy Corner in Wynberg‚ Cape Town‚ said: “It hasn’t affected us. We buy from an independent butcher. Our meats are from the local butcher and they make their own viennas and polonies.”

Manager of Golden Dish in Gatesville‚ Cape Town‚ Mohamed Mowzer said: “Because we are halaal we don’t get [our cold meats] from Enterprise. I highly doubt that it would affect us. The items on the menu are still safe to consume.”