“I Make These Packages Look Light”: SA Charmed As Survivor Winner Rob Bentele Gifts Woman Food

• A reality TV star gifted a generous surprise to someone who needed it and the moment gained attention
• With plenty of families still feeling the pinch, small acts of kindness are hitting differently these days
• Social media did what social media does best: jokes flew, people caught feelings, and some started playing matchmaker
• Briefly News interviewed Rob Bentele to find out the story behind the gift

A heartwarming moment between a Survivor winner and a mystery woman has taken over social media and has SA seemingly smitten over the exchange.

Winner of 2019 Survivor series, Rob Bentele, was seen in a video gifting a woman with a food parcel so heavy, that she stumbles as she's taking it and Rob has to steady her before she falls over. The video posted on Instagram on 30 June 2026, was captioned:

"I think I make these packages look lighter than they actually are. It catches a lot (of people) off guard. Roots Butchery Esikhawini clearly goes all out."

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The food packages have been made available by Roots Butchery in Esikhawini, to members of the community who need it the most. But this one moment is only a small glimpse into the impact and work that Rob continues to do in helping his community.

Briefly News reached out to Rob to better understand the inspiration behind the food parcel initiative and how it has grown over time.

He explained that his community work began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when helping people with food made a lasting impact on him and inspired him to continue, though it was still small scale then. He later partnered with local businesses and organisations, creating a system where support could be channelled directly to families in need.

"More people started reaching out to me to offer their help and support. Because it slowly started becoming almost like a win-win for the businesses themselves. They'd say: Let's give this man resources. We trust he gets it to the right hands while marketing our business."

His connection with Roots Butchery Esikhawini started when he followed up on a woman named Kate’s job lead after she mentioned a missed employment opportunity there. He went to the business to advocate on her behalf, bringing her CV and asking for help, which led to the owner being impressed and engaging with him about the food parcels.

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"So, when he heard about my food thing that I'm doing, he's like, hey, look, I would like to support you. And he told me, he wants to give me 40 food parcels, but I said we should start off with 20. And thank goodness, I said 20 because these parcels are seriously heavy."

Rob, together with his partner, do the food handouts and explained that videos are only done when people are comfortable. He said they mainly help bring in more support so more families can be reached, which is why only a few distributions are actually filmed. Social media has played a big role in growing the initiative by drawing in more resources.

He added that his goal is to inspire others to build similar community-driven initiatives.

“I'm just trying to showcase the blueprint of how anyone can replicate this. Local business is there to support. It's about connecting brands with the community.”

South Africa's hunger crisis and the fight for food security

South Africa faces a severe food insecurity crisis despite producing enough food to feed its population. In an episode of Economic Justice Matters, experts highlighted that around 63% of households experience some form of food insecurity, with poverty, unemployment, low wages, and inequality making nutritious food unaffordable for many families. The consequences are severe, especially for children, with widespread malnutrition and stunting affecting physical growth, brain development, and future opportunities. Families are often forced to choose between food and other basic needs such as transport, electricity, and education.

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View the TikTok video below:

Mzansi swooned at the encounter

South Africans could not hold themselves in the comments as they shared their take on the matter. This is what Mzansi had to say on his page:

london_for_president_ said:

"Not me thinking it's a love story of some sort 😭"

dena_daisy suggested:

"Actually why didn’t she close the gate after he went in 😢"

the_letterl said:

"She did not lose her balance because of the package 😂😂🤣"

shabangusane wrote:

"The eye contact😩😩"

heather.dube_ said:

"When is their wedding?💃🏾🤭"

rosahandmadeinsa added:

"Its the delivery person throwing her out of balance😝"

More Briefly News on People encounters

• School learners spotted a man who looked like Nelson Mandela, rushing to take photos and playfully treating him like royalty, leaving social media users amused by the wholesome moment.
• A Brakpan woman explained that she instinctively confronted and greeted men she caught stealing from her home, later saying she acted without thinking as South Africans praised her bravery but worried she had put herself in danger.
• Two brothers touched hearts after surprising their older brother with a Toyota as a gift, with the emotional moment highlighting their strong family bond and drawing praise from social media users.

Source: Briefly News