WATCH | Campus restaurant rivalry gets salty, launches Chick-a-Licious Challenge

A line has been drawn in the salt in a turf war over customers between two fast food outlets at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein.

Momo Akli, owner of The Deli on campus, has twice made an odd discovery - small granules of salt-like powder outside his shop.

At first he did not know how it got there but CCTV footage later revealed the culprit. George Mbanis, of rival Chic-a-Leecious restaurant, could be seen on the video clip holding a salt-like substance in his hands as he walked towards The Deli.

It's believed that it is unlucky for a person to spill salt but that did not appear to deter him. Mbanis could be seen emptying his hands in front of Akli's shop and walking away.

"He is jealous because my business is doing better. His business has been quiet. He is trying to give me bad luck for throwing stuff on the floor. It is a salty stuff. I tasted it and it taste salty," Akli told TimesLIVE. 

Mbanis told TimesLIVE on Tuesday afternoon that he made a "honest and stupid mistake".

"I didn't do it on purpose, it was just a stupid mistake that's all. I've apologised, a person can make a stupid mistake some time. I know they had a camera and will catch me.

"I'm not a tokoloshe, I am not a healer, it was just salt. I did not want to make things bad for them or the students. I am terribly sorry," Mbanis said. 

Akli said first found the salt-like trail on Thursday last week, and then again on Monday.

"The floor was clean and all of a sudden there was white stuff on the floor. I know the cleaners cleaned the place. I checked the camera and then I saw him again,” said Akli.

"I didn't want to ask him [on Monday] because if I approached him I was going to blik***[hit] him. What he is doing is not right, I wasn't in the mood to talk to him," he said.

Instead, Akli informed the university and security services on campus. The “evidence” was swept up and handed over to security.

"No cleaner wanted to touch it, because they are all afraid of it and thought it was muti stuff. People are scared of this sh*t man."

Social media is having a field day with the tiff as commentators rubbed salt in the wounds. A Chick-a-licious Challenge was started.

"Ai noh, this Chick-a-licious Challenge is the biggest scandal after ‘Did I sleep with your dad’. Can't stop laughing!" read one comment.

A second comment read: "Faculty of witchcraft?"

Some students went as far as throwing salt in front of exam venues, module books and outside of the rooms of their "crushes".

‪One wit tried to launch a hashtag - #‎saltbaelicious.

Mbanis and his son-in-law apologised on Monday evening, Akli confirmed.

He said he had accepted the apology.

"I asked him why he is doing that. I don't have a problem with him. So he said sorry and said he wasn't doing it on purpose. I accept his apology, but he must respect the university and the customers.

"...He needs to apologise publicly and explain why he did it," said Akli. 

The university's Student Representative Council president, Sonwabile Dwaba, said they had spoken to one of the owners and the matter had been reported to the institution. 

Dwaba said they were "extremely concerned" about the hygiene and state of the student centre and the food that students received.

"We have instructed the university to conduct thorough food inspections at the bridge and (to) have stricter guidelines and rules for their vendors and service providers.

"We can't have two service providers who have a beef or whatever the case might be that is going to disrupt students.

"Our primary priority is students and to make sure that the well-being of students are taken care of," Dwaba said.

In a separate statement on Facebook, the SRC said it had taken a sample of the salt-type substance for testing at a university laboratory.

UFS spokesperson Lacea Loader said the incident was being investigated.  

"The outcome of the investigation will be made available when it has been concluded," Loader said.