It has been almost six years to the date since Durban came to a standstill.

The July 2021 unrest left communities reeling as shopping centres were looted, major roads were blocked and supermarket shelves were stripped bare. Families who had already spent months adapting to life under Covid-19 restrictions suddenly found themselves facing another crisis — one where even a loaf of bread was not guaranteed.

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South Africans had become remarkably resourceful by then. Lockdown had introduced many to sourdough starters, homemade pizzas and even some DIY brewing. I mean, people had already made their own beer in their backyards during the hard lockdown. Imagine that!

So, baking bread from scratch was easy peasy and I think, by that time (during the looting) it had become less of a novelty and more of a life skill for a few.

It was against that backdrop that a simple bread recipe shared by Durban North resident Jocelyn Cunningham struck a chord with readers of Northglen News.

Originally published to help residents make do with ingredients they likely already had at home, the story quickly became one of the publication’s biggest success stories.

Today, it has been viewed close to a million times, while on Facebook alone it has attracted more than 400 comments, around 2 800 shares and nearly 3 800 reactions.

The numbers tell one story. The comments tell another.

“My mom, 92 years old, sent me this recipe yesterday. She got this from her mother. It was so easy to make and came out beautifully. Thanks for sharing,” wrote Brenda Jordan.

Others recognised echoes of family recipes passed down through generations.

“Kinda similar with Irish soda bread but instead of buttermilk, plain milk is used. Still very good!” commented Ma CrisCor Melicor.

For Lisa Redman, the verdict was this: “It’s divine. Just made some. Thank you.”

Looking at the popularity of the story, I can’t help but think: “you know what, this story never really was about bread”.

It was about comfort during uncertainty and more than anything else, it was about a community coming together to help each other get through a tough and traumatising time. People were engaging online to get by, especially those who were stuck at home alone. And if there’s one thing that brings people together – it’s food!

Something as ordinary as a warm loaf fresh from the oven became a ray of sunshine for many and, despite the chaos outside, we still had small victories to celebrate in our homes.

Every time you bake a loaf of bread think about this as you measure out your flour and knead that dough: you’re revisiting a chapter of Durban’s history when our strength and courage wasn’t measured by grand gestures, but by our determination to keep going.

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