Umhlanga restaurant's Zuma name 'misleading'
The Advertising Regulations Board has ruled that a Durban restaurant's use of the name Zuma is misleading.
It found the eatery made a deliberate attempt to trade off a reputation of an already internationally established brand of the same name.
Over two decades ago, German Rainer Becker and Pakistan-born Arjun Waney's company opened the first Zuma restaurant in London. It now has outlets in several major cities.
They lodged a complaint against the Durban establishment, which opened its doors last year.
The Advertising Regulations Board says it was persuaded that the local business deliberately used the trade name Zuma and not their registered trademark that has an 'h' in it.
It also says in South Africa, the name Zuma is widely associated with the former president and therefore, it's not a logical move for a restaurant that serves Asian cuisine to use such a name, unless the very intention was to imitate the complainant.
The owner of the Durban restaurant David Manal they will fight.
He says the international brand has been trying to come to South Africa, and believes they are after his trademark.
"The complaint is irrelevant because, firstly Zuma International they are not registered or trademarked in South Africa nor are they even operating in South Africa on the other side my company owns the registration of Zuma, the company has asked for our consent to be able to be here. Obviously, we are not going to give consent."
