Karoo-lamb bunny chow - long part of the fabric of Durban - could be on the endangered list as SA faces a critical shortage of the tender, flavoursome meat.
More than 1,300km away in the Northern Cape town of Williston, worried farmers warned this week that a crippling four-year drought in the Karoo could spell the end of the certified meat, which is served in some of SA's swankiest restaurants and is often the key ingredient in Durban's renowned lamb curry.
The Williston Agricultural Union described the situation as dire because the natural aromatic vegetation that free-range sheep browse is "just dead bushes, scorched by the sun".
The union said if it did not rain soon the supply of Karoo meat of origin (KMOO) - a label reserved for the meat of free-roaming sheep that have fed on the region's endemic plant species - "will run out in the next few months".
Farmer Peter Schoeman said: "A large percentage of the lamb from the Williston district goes to Durban and Pietermaritzburg because there is a high demand in that province.
"As things stand now, we have a huge shortage of KMOO," he said.
The supply crisis has raised concerns among foodies and curry connoisseurs.
Devi Sankaree Govender, co-author of the recipe book Durban Curry: So Much of Flavour, said South African curry connoisseurs were picky.
A lamb bunny is made with Karoo lamb. The question now is, what's the alternative?
— Devi Sankaree Govender
"We know our curry and quickly sense any changes in ingredients. Most of us who have grown up in Durban can tell the difference between mutton and lamb," she said.
"A lamb bunny is made with Karoo lamb. The question now is, what's the alternative?
"I suspect the price of Karoo lamb will skyrocket and many of us will have to settle for normal lamb. But that means you would have to work harder to get those flavours right.
"Maybe people will now take climate change seriously, after getting to experience it on your plate," said Govender.
Hollywoodbets, a Durban sports bar that sells 170,000 lamb bunnies a year, is among the bunny outlets worried about the drought.
Food and beverage manager Dhanesh Roopraj said the bar had had supply problems for two years now.
"We rely heavily on lamb for our bunny chows. We use a superior grade of Karoo lamb, this year our supplier has been able to meet our demand. It would be a shame if Karoo lamb is no longer available," he said.
Buddy Govender, another curry aficionado and co-author of the recipe book Casbah Family Recipes, thinks bunny chow would survive even if Karoo lamb did not.
"The awesomeness of the iconic bunny is that it can be enjoyed under any circumstances and conditions by anybody," he said.
"While the shortage of lamb is a problem, the delicious chicken, beans and mixed veg bunny chows often reign supreme."
Schoeman said: "Since most of the natural veld has been devastated by the drought, replacement ewes are being culled . Remaining sheep are being fed on manufactured sheep pellets, grain, and whatever donations are made available to the farmers.
"This means that most lamb currently being marketed is not certified natural Karoo lamb."
In 2014, 62,365 lambs were marketed through the Williston Meat Co-operative. The number dropped to 36,600 this year.
"The spin-off is also affecting the town of Williston, as unemployment grows and farmers have to retrench their workers. It is a negative situation all round. The entire community is suffering," said Schoeman.
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