With the arrival of democracy in SA, Heritage Day replaced Shaka Day with the intention of creating a moment to celebrate the rich cultural diversity that is unique to our country. But is there anything truly common to all the tribes and clans of the Rainbow Nation? The answer is: yes, cooking on fire.
With a delicious sizzle on a hot grill, millions of South Africans across all nine provinces will soon be celebrating the national holiday by burning wood and searing meat. And given what we know about the state of food security in our nation, it seems ironic that our most unifying cultural touchpoint is all about our cooking and eating habits.
Whether you’re an emerging farmer in Eastern Cape’s Gwaba Village or a hedge fund manager in Jozi’s leafy northern suburbs, chances are you’ll be doing the same thing on September 24 2025: gathering with friends and family and putting something juicy on the braai.
“It was back in 2005 that food celebrity Jan Scannell (aka Jan Braai) decided to ‘hijack’ Heritage Day and call it Braai Day, but it’s certainly not surprising that the idea caught on faster than a firelighter,” says Brandon de Kock, director of Storytelling for BrandMapp. This is the annual survey by consumer insights consultancy WhyFive that tracks the behaviours and preferences of South Africans living in households earning R10,000 or more a month.
“South Africans’ love of a braai is legendary because it doesn’t just transcend our complex demographics, it is truly rooted in our land’s heritage and the ancestry of our peoples,” says De Kock.
“As a compulsive, modern-day practitioner of chargrill culture, I love that there is evidence, burnt animal bones showing cut marks, unearthed in Swartkrans cave at the Cradle of Mankind, that a million years ago, our ancestors were celebrating special occasions around the braai, just as I like to do. What continuity and resilience we have in our country.”
Quoting a piece of research commissioned by the Spar group to better understand its customers, De Kock says: “Ninety percent of South Africans across the board say that they either have a built-in braai or a dedicated braai place. That proves the point. On top of that is the industry data that shows that our nation’s preferences for meat products is extraordinary.
“Even in tough economic times, cooking on fire is ubiquitous across the land, whether you’re huddling around a portable Weber on an apartment block balcony or gathering the whole neighbourhood for shisanyama. It’s hospitable and generous, it has such a relaxed, connected social element that is so important, especially in stressful times. Braaiing is undeniably simply embedded in our culture as ‘a way of being’ that we all fundamentally understand.”
Who braais what and how often?
When it comes to food choices, SA is certainly a land of meat eaters. According to Dr WA Lombard of the agricultural economics department at the University of the Free State, South Africans exceeded last year’s global average meat consumption (64kg) by enjoying around 69kg of meat per person per year.
And World in Data records that SA is one of only four African countries where meat consumption per capita exceeds 60kg per year.
According to BrandMapp’s latest data, only 17% of SA’s consumer class might consider becoming vegetarian or vegan. Even then, they can still braai
According to BrandMapp’s latest data, only 17% of SA’s consumer class might consider becoming vegetarian or vegan. Even then, they can still braai.
Adding fuel to the fire, De Kock quotes a further survey conducted for Libstar, one of SA’s largest manufacturers, distributors and marketers of leading branded and private label consumer packaged goods. “Libstar are deeply invested in understanding the end users of their products and are keen to quantify braai habits and find out where it fits into the lives of people who love cooking for friends and family. The results were extraordinary. We discovered that a huge 80% of respondents regularly braai and about 30% of them said they cook on coals at least once a week, come rain or shine. No wonder there are so many different braai spice options available at your local grocery store.”
Where does cooking and eating fit into the lifestyles of SA’s consumer class?
“First off, it’s important to note that an interest in cooking is ranked higher than dining out for the consumer class. It’s at number four on our list of top interests, after music, travel and movies, and therefore up there with other integral parts of our lifestyle,” says De Kock.
“But it’s not just a self-centred interest. Almost 50% of the consumer class say they enjoy specifically cooking for friends and family, and we all know that there’s no better way to do that than brandishing tongs.
“Our latest data on online behaviour backs up our interest in home cooking, showing that more people are likely to search for recipes at least once a week than seek travel or property information. And in the spirit of ‘chop ’n’ dop’ culture, 75% of the people who are braaiing are also most likely to be washing it down with their tipple of choice — whether that’s beer, a glass of great South African wine or an archetypal brandy and Coke.”
Ultimately, what’s important is that South African braai tradition brings us together across such a diversity of habitats and spectra, from the leafy suburbs to township streets, from small-town establishments to scenic villages, from the bush to the beaches. On the one hand, yes, it’s about basic daily food needs and habits, but we all know that a braai is also about our very human need for connection, community and conviviality.
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This article was sponsored by WhyFive.
