“When Love Is Not About Money”: SA Couple’s Kota Food Challenge with Baby Warms Mzansi’s Hearts

• DJ Ranie Next Level shared a video of a couple doing a food challenge with a kota outdoors, and it quickly went viral
• The man's seemingly selfless actions caught everyone's attention as Mzansi took a shot at deciding what it meant
• South Africans flooded the comments with feelings about love, money, and what it means to be happy

A simple game, a kota and the company of someone you love turned out to be all it took to melt South Africa's heart this week.

DJ Ranie Next Level posted a Facebook reel on 6 August 2026 showing a couple seated at an outdoor table, playing rock, paper, scissors to see who gets a bite of the kota. Filmed from inside a nearby parked vehicle, the clip had a candid, unposed feel that made it instantly relatable. The pair were bundled up in beanies, sharing their meal and holding their baby, whom they also fed the kota to, completely unbothered by the world around them.

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What made the clip stand out was a quiet but telling detail. The man appeared to be holding back, letting his partner take the bigger share of the food.

Exploring South Africa’s iconic stuffed street sandwich

Spatlo, also known as Kota, is a giant South African street sandwich made from a quarter loaf of bread filled with chips, meat, sauces and pickles. Originating in Gauteng townships during apartheid, it reflects the country’s diverse culinary influences and cultural history.

View the Facebook video below:

Mzansi reacts to the heartwarming video

For many South Africans watching, that small act said everything. The video connected with people who have grown tired of seeing love measured by material things. South Africans on the page could not help but weigh in:

Khabane Letsie wrote:

"The baby is experiencing the love between her parents with the small they have ❤❤ That's the biggest gift worth more than anything."

Leo Chimphamba joked:

"Government should start collecting tax from happy couples 😫😪"

T Man Tßòmò said:

"When love is not about money 😌😌👌🏿"

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Steezy Kiid added:

"The man making himself lose so that his girl can dig in more! ❤️💪🏽"

Kaybee De Barista asked:

"The rest of us, are we sure we with the right partners?"

Nkanyiso Mthethwa shared:

"Lady if you could simply stop dating for need satisfactions, content, status & validation, you'll be happy like this couple. Love needs money, yes I totally agree but it's the small things that satisfies a wholehearted genuine person."

More Briefly News stories on food

• A South African man in Australia went viral after selling amagwinya (vetkoek) on Facebook Marketplace, with Mzansi gents praising the taste of home abroad.
• Families in Mpophomeni, KwaZulu-Natal, are turning to food gardens to grow their own produce, helping them cope with financial struggles while improving food security in their community.
• A Soweto woman’s street food business grew in popularity as customers began pre-ordering her meals on WhatsApp, turning her homemade cooking into a thriving township venture.

Source: Briefly News