NATIONAL NEWS - Snake catcher Sarel van der Merwe said one of his favourite rescues took place last weekend when he removed a 3m long black mamba from a family’s bedroom in Umzumbe in KZN.
He explained the adrenaline rush to catch the snake was intense, especially because black mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened – highly aggressive.
They have been blamed for numerous human deaths and African myths exaggerate their capabilities to legendary proportions.
For these reasons, the black mamba is widely considered the world’s deadliest snake.
“This was not my first call-out to Umzumbe. I have been there many times, far inland into the mountains. I travelled just under 80km from Shelly Beach to get there and I feel that despite Umzumbe being a rural area, people are aware that killing snakes is not the best option, and that it is best to call an expert to handle it,” he added.
He said that despite most people still being scared of snakes, the residents of Umzumbe are used to them as they are surrounded by nature and snakes are common in their area.
Samukelisiwe Ngwane said she saw the snake last Thursday afternoon, when it was very hot.
“My mother and I had come back from town and we were lying on a blanket on the floor to cool down. We heard our dogs barking strangely.
“When my mother went to take a look, she saw the snake making its way in the passage towards our bedroom. She got the shock of her life, however, she managed to escape,” said Ngwane.
She explained they tried to hit the snake, however, it reacted aggressively and slithered into their room, and they decided to lock the door.
“A few hours later my uncle came and opened the room to see if the snake had not gone out of one of the windows which were wide open. He and some men from the community searched the room and could not find it.
“On Saturday evening as I went into my bedroom I saw the snake on my bed and that is when my uncle called Sarel. When Sarel came he went into the room and found the snake behind the wardrobe. It’s like he knew exactly where it was,” Ngwane explained.
Sarel said the snake is currently with him and will be released back into the wild, far away from the people.
He urged the public to never handle snakes themselves, as some snakes are dangerous. He said anyone who needed assistance should contact a qualified snake catcher in their area.
