Fernando's owner will be missed by many

RICHMOND Hill restaurateur Fernando Bras, 68, has died after suffering a brain aneurysm and later a stroke.

The popular Portuguese owner of Fernando's Chicken House in Moffat Street was at home with his wife, Maria, when he had the aneurysm last week, his daughter Tania Bras said.

He was taken to hospital and died just before midnight on Thursday.

At one stage, Fernando was the president of the Portuguese Club in Summerstrand.

"He was very involved with the Portuguese community," Tania said.

"He also had Eastern Province colours for snooker, when they used to play at the Athenaeum."

Born in Portugal, Fernando moved first to Angola before settling in Port Elizabeth in the late 1970s, opening Solmar in 1977.

"It was Solmar that launched him, and then he had the Cornflower in the 1980s, in the old Constantia Centre, which is now Pier 14," Tania said.

Fernando also ran an eatery at the Springbok Hotel in Kempston Road, which served members of the struggle in the apartheid days of the late 1980s, with figures such as Tokyo Sexwale, Cyril Ramaphosa and other ANC dignitaries knowing it would be a safe place to meet.

That loyalty was repaid by his customers, and during the 2010 Fifa World Cup Danny Jordaan flew him and Maria to Durban to watch Portugal play. Another soccer personality, Boya Chetty, is still a regular today.

"He would deal with them in the same way as any other customer, so even if a big shot like [ANC chief whip] Stone Sizani misbehaved, he would tell them where to get off," Tania said.

Fellow Richmond Hill restaurateur, Flava owner John Burger, spread the news via a Facebook post: "RIP Taliban ... we cowboys were still in nappies when you were plying your trade. Thanks for the chicken ... thanks for the sauce ... and thanks for your humour. Peace on your journey fella. Travel safe and give 'em Hell!"

Fernando was known not only for his delicious Portuguese food, particularly prawns and chicken, but also for the fiery "Taliban" sauce, which gave him his nickname.

Tania, who has been running Fernando's, said it would be open today and tomorrow.

"We might open at about 4pm for a wake after the funeral [on Thursday], because he was known to so many.

"There are a lot of people who would want to pay their respects to my dad. He had a wicked sense of humour and was so full of life."

Bras leaves his wife Maria, two daughters, a son and four grandchildren. He also has two sisters and a brother in Portugal.

Father Brendan – who officiated at Fernando's wedding to Maria 38 years ago – will officiate at his funeral, to be held on Thursday at 10.30am at Mater Dei Catholic Church in Newton Park. - Gillian McAinsh