WATCH | Fish & chip shop sells Ramaphosa Special after Cyril's surprise visit

19 June 2019 - 11:05 By Dan Meyer
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Angelique Ferreira, right, and her staff welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa to their fish and chip shop in Salt River on June 18 2019.
Angelique Ferreira, right, and her staff welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa to their fish and chip shop in Salt River on June 18 2019.
Image: Dan Meyer

Customers at one of Cape Town's oldest fish and chip shops can enjoy a R59 Ramaphosa Special on Wednesday, the day after the president popped in for lunch.

Palace Fisheries, which has traded in Salt River for 63 years, renamed its hake and chips parcel in honour of the president, who ordered the takeaway on Tuesday - and left with another 20 parcels for his staff.

"He was so nice and funny, he had a long conversation with us and said it was the best fish he’d had in Cape Town," 25-year-old general manager Angelique Ferreira told TimesLIVE. "We didn't expect him to come in at all, he didn't call in advance or anything, so it took us completely by surprise," she said.

She said she was "extremely happy" that Ramaphosa placed such a big order for his staff, after having had a slow day until his surprise visit, which followed a meeting with the Eskom board at his Cape Town residence Genadendal. 

"The day was going slowly but, wow, that really helped us out."

Ferreira said that Ramaphosa's bodyguard sat in the shop eating his hake and chips while they prepared the big order, and he seemed to be having a great time.

"He was eating a lot and kept saying how good it was."

Shop owner Justino Ferreira said it was an emotional day. "I'm getting emotional, it was my late dad's store," he said. "He was born in Madeira, very poor and came to Cape Town to look for his father.

"He started working in a takeaway and actually slept in the store. He was living in District Six. In 1956 he managed to partner up with someone and they were able to start the business," he said.

Ferreira, who has worked in the shop since he was five, said Palace Fisheries is the only wood-fired fishery in the city. 

"I used to pack out all the rolls in the window and those used to sell out so quickly. We were one of the only fisheries in the area back then so it was extremely busy," he said. 

Times had become harder, however. "Things have been really quiet for us in Salt River so this is really a blessing. We are overwhelmed and honoured that the president came to pay us a visit. It's really incredible." 


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