A venomous snake, which hitched a ride from Grabouw to Hanover Park, sparked panic and hiss-teria in the Cape Flats community on Tuesday when it was discovered in a container.
Scared mense went mal on chat groups when pictures of the gevaarlike puff adder circulated, with residents accusing a man of “being reckless and wanting a new pet”.
Blomvlei Neighbourhood Watch chairperson, Sadeeka Valentine, says while out patrolling, they were approached for help.
“The snake was in a drum at a house in Downwood Road and the people were panicking,” she says.
“They were bang the snake would get out and bite a child or something.
“The team of patrollers made contact with Law Enforcement who came to remove the snake.”
Law Enforcement spokesperson, Wayne Dyason, says when officers arrived, they found the black and brown snake had been moved to another house in Manlyn Walk, Pinati Estate.
He says at the house, a woman said the man had gone to the post office but left the container behind.
“The officers asked if she was aware that there was a snake in the container,” Dyason says.
“She was unaware and shocked to find out that a snake was left on her property.
“The City’s Nature Conservation Department arrived and confirmed it was a puff adder.
“They removed the snake and took it to a place of safety.”
But Zakeer “Charra” Khan, 36, says the mense were panicking for nothing.
“We were in Grabouw on Monday fetching a Wendy house and when we got home the night, we saw the snake took a ride with us and was laying in between the materials,” he explains.
“It was about a metre long and I wanted to release it on the veldjie but was told not to, so I put it in the drum until the next day and was going to take it to that nature reserve in Philippi.”
The dad says before he could take the snake away, a woman discovered he had the reptile and went bos.
“It was one lady who started the whole ding and made everyone worried for nothing.
“We didn’t know it was poisonous but it is such a beautiful snake and it didn’t try to bite us.
“It was cool, calm and friendly.”
Although not the most venomous, the puff adder is responsible for more bites and fatalities in South Africa than any other snake due to its habit of not moving away from approaching footsteps, instead blowing out air as a warning, hence the name.
monique.duval@inl.co.za