A Durban woman was horrified to discover a dead rat baked into her Sasko bread, and her shock only deepened after the supplier’s dismissive response. The woman, Nombulelo Mkumla, took to social media to share her traumatic experience, igniting outrage among consumers.
Woman Discovers Rat in Loaf of Bread
Nombulelo Mkumla recounted her disturbing discovery on Facebook after purchasing a loaf of Sasko brown bread from her local Spar in Durban. She detailed how she made the horrific find while preparing a simple meal:
“I took the bread out of the fridge to make toast and noticed something disgusting and scary. I took a picture and sent it to my friends, and one of them said, ‘That’s a rat friend.’”
Initially in disbelief, Nombulelo considered it might be something else but eventually realized that the rat could have ended up in the bread at the factory without being noticed. She promptly returned to Spar, where she was advised to contact the supplier, Pioneer Foods, which owns Sasko.https://x.com/SaskoSA/status/1833431843800072202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1833431843800072202%7Ctwgr%5E285bc288b82213cc458c5058ed03341b31154b66%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesouthafrican.com%2Flifestyle%2Fsasko-rat-in-bread-pioneer-foods-facebook-watch%2F
Supplier’s Response Leaves Woman Outraged
Nombulelo followed up with Pioneer Foods, sending pictures and videos of the contaminated bread. Initially, the company suggested that the foreign object might be mold, but upon further review, they acknowledged that it was, in fact, a rat. However, the company’s apology only added to Nombulelo’s distress.
Reflecting on her conversation with a Sasko representative, she posted: “He said, ‘It shouldn’t have happened, but you must understand that it gets hot where we bake our products, so things like this are bound to happen. We are putting measures in place to prevent this from happening again.’”
To Nombulelo’s disbelief, the representative then added, “Don’t worry; it won’t affect you health-wise.” This statement left her feeling angry and dismissed. She responded, “This apology made me angrier. Are you a professional doctor? I doubt I will ever eat Sasko bread again. This experience has been traumatic and disgusting!”
Nombulelo explained that she had already consumed slices of the bread before making the grim discovery, further intensifying her sense of horror and betrayal.
#### Previous Incidents and Calls for Accountability
Nombulelo’s ordeal is not the first involving Sasko bread. Other consumers have reported similar experiences, raising concerns about the company’s quality control measures. One user on X (formerly Twitter) recalled a similar incident, claiming they found rodent remnants in their Sasko bread back in 2020. The user, @GhettoSoldeir, tweeted, “I experienced the same thing with @SaskoSA bread in 2020 and tweeted about it. Sasko didn’t respond…so we have been eating rats this whole time. It’s time to boycott.”
The official Sasko South Africa account responded to the user, promising to address the matter privately, but many consumers remain skeptical about the brand’s commitment to resolving these issues.
#### No Official Response from Sasko Yet
Despite multiple attempts to reach out, Pioneer Foods has not provided an official response regarding Nombulelo’s case. The lack of accountability has fueled further anger among consumers, with many calling for a boycott of Sasko products until the company implements stricter safety measures.
As Nombulelo’s story continues to gain traction, it highlights the urgent need for improved quality control in food manufacturing to ensure consumer safety.