Celebrating Legends Recognised at the Fourth Annual Cllr Naeem Patel and Family Matric and Community Excellence Awards
Honouring the Legacy of A.R. Gani (Hajee Kit Kat)
As part of Councillor Naeem Patel and Family’s recent Matric and Community Excellence Awards Function, nineteen legends of the past and present were honoured for their immense contributions to community upliftment and enterprise. This week, Laudium Today begins its series by paying tribute to the late Abdur Rajak Gani, affectionately known as Hajee Kit Kat — a visionary leader, entrepreneur, and community figure.
In the late 1950s, a determined young Hajee Kit Kat began his journey in the bustling streets of Marabastad alongside his brother Abdul Kader. With little more than courage and conviction, they sold samoosas to passersby — humble beginnings that would lay the foundation for an extraordinary legacy. Every plate sold was more than just a means to earn a living; it was a step toward building a dream rooted in hard work, integrity, and family values.
The Kit Kat story began in 1953 with the opening of the Kit Kat Café and Restaurant, followed by steady growth through perseverance and discipline. Before fully establishing the brand, Hajee worked as a truck driver for Simba, where exposure to structured systems and logistics left a lasting impression. When the family opened their first store, he replicated those professional systems, embedding efficiency and organisation into the business model.
In 1983, Kit Kat Wholesalers opened in the Asiatic Complex, marking the involvement of the third generation of the Gani family. By 1989, the Kit Kat Hyper Store opened on Schubert Street — the first branch to operate under management beyond immediate family, demonstrating the business’s maturity and expansion. The journey reached a historic milestone in October 1999 with the “Kit Kat Grand Opening,” symbolising decades of sacrifice, growth, and vision.
Through perseverance and humility, Hajee transformed a modest beginning into the Kit Kat Group, one of the country’s leading retail and wholesale groups and a household name serving communities across South Africa. Today, his legacy lives on through his sons, who continue to grow the group to 15 stores and beyond while carrying forward the values their father embodied.
Despite remarkable commercial success, Hajee Kit Kat remained deeply rooted in his community. He was widely known not for his achievements, but for his generosity and compassion. He believed that true success was measured by the lives one uplifted. His natural charm and charisma drew people to him effortlessly, while his unwavering determination to always do what was right earned him deep respect and trust.
Hajee never turned away those in need, regardless of how small the help might be. His door was always open to individuals seeking guidance, support, or opportunity, and he consistently used his influence to make meaningful differences in people’s lives.
From selling samoosas in Marabastad to building one of South Africa’s most respected wholesale chains, Hajee Kit Kat’s story is one of resilience, faith, and entrepreneurial courage. His journey reminds us that extraordinary legacies often begin with the simplest of starts and that with determination and vision, dreams can become institutions.
Laudium Today salutes the life and legacy of Hajee A.R. Gani — a true legend of our community.
Nabeel Gani, son of the late Hajee Kit Kat, receives his father's plaque while shaking hands with Councillor Patel, as Deputy Ambassador of Palestine to South Africa Bassam Elhussiny looks on.
