[imagesource: Facebook / East Coast Breakfast]

Among the seemingly unrelenting wave of videos showing scenes of despair and desperation, there are also signs of hope.

The RebuildSA Volunteers Facebook Group, for example, now has in excess of 40 000 members “coming together to help businesses affected by the recent riots”.

Elsewhere, ‘SA Fights Back’ has been a popular refrain, with residents in some areas launching door-to-door campaigns to recover looted items.

One rather unusual video, filmed last night, has gone viral, showing a man playing the bagpipes in La Lucia, a suburb in north Durban, as community watch group members stand guard:

He promised you, and he was not incorrect.

Don’t pin your hopes on William Wallace, he’s overrated.

As the bagpipe video began to spread, people wanted to know who this mysterious man was.

East Coast Radio was on the case, and they soon found Michael Cairns.

During an interview with the radio station, Cairns said:

“This is our pipe band. Lots of people call me Mac-atini (from the old lunch bar advert) but the band calls me MC (because initials but also we have so many Michael’s in the band).

Image: Michael Cairns

I’m not a public speaker but if the message could be about positive change and bring the community together. That would be great 👍🏼 I was asked at the watch if I was armed, I said no but I brought some entertainment.”

You did, Michael, and we say well played.

Symbolically, bagpipes are often played when mourning fallen heroes such as firefighters and policemen.

We aren’t able to embed the full interview, but if you click the image below you can listen to it:

[source:eastcoastradio]