The Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) emerged victorious in two separate cases of animal cruelty this week, securing convictions for a man who allowed rats to be burnt alive, and another for his involvement in illegal dog fighting.
While many consider rats to be pests, the AACL spent five years fighting for justice for the rodents that were set alight in a gruesome incident, which was also filmed.
On Thursday, it finally managed to secure a conviction when journalist Mkhokeli Bandla pleaded guilty to contravening the Animal Protection Act.
He was sentenced to a R10,000 fine or an effective six months’ imprisonment.
In a separate case, and another win for animal rights activists, a man conducting illegal dog fighting was also sentenced to a fine or a suspended prison term.
In pleading guilty in the Motherwell magistrate's court, Bandla admitted that he had failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent the torture of the three rats by visitors to his home.
“I am sorry for what I have allowed to happen through the lack of exercising reasonable care in relation to the trapped animals,” Bandla said.
Bandla posted the video to his Facebook page in August 2018, but later removed it and made a public apology.
But it was too late as the video had already been circulated and forwarded to the AACL.
In the graphic video, seen by Weekend Post, the rats are stuck on a glue trap with a person repeatedly striking a lighter to burn them.
In the five-minute-long video, the first rat to suffer the horrific ordeal is seen with its head hanging off the glue trap, desperately trying to escape as the lighter nears its head, scorching its hair.
The second rat is seen being burned on its back with the flame as it uses whatever strength it has left to try to lift itself to escape the heat.
But the torture does not stop there for the rodent as it is burned on his head and its tail set alight.
The third rat, seen lying helpless on its side, is scorched with the lighter’s flame.
It screeches while trying to escape.
During the ordeal, people can be heard laughing.
Bandla was sentenced to a hefty fine or 12 months’ imprisonment, six of which were suspended for five years on condition that he not commit a similar offence during that period.
Animal activist and lawyer Karien van Skalkwyk welcomed the sentence.
“We have fought for five years to get a conviction, because rodents, too, deserve to be treated humanely.
“Though they are deemed pests, they suffered and are worthy of the same empathy and protection as our domestic animals,” Van Schalkwyk said.
AACL inspector Beverley Rademeyer said, while she was happy with the outcome of the court case, the public also needed to play their part in putting a stop to shops selling glue traps and other cruel capturing devices.
In the second matter, Renaldo Snyman pleaded guilty to contravening the Animal Protection Act after the AACL investigated allegations of illegal dog fighting in Helenvale.
On April 17 2018, the AACL was contacted about a dogfight in progress in Chamois Street.
The incident was also captured on video.
According to Van Skalkwyk, when inspectors arrived at the scene, the fight was over and the crowd had dispersed, along with the dogs.
“Our inspector obtained information which led her to the house of the one suspect who became aggressive,” she said.
With the assistance of the police, one dog was identified and removed.
“At the second suspect’s house, the angry community gathered and the situation became volatile.
“Our inspector’s bakkie was forced open, the seized dog taken out, and her phone was stolen.
“Upon the advice of the police, our team left the area,” she said.
Two days after the incident, enough information was gathered to obtain a warrant, and four dogs, including the two fighting dogs, all pit bull crossbreeds, were seized.
While three people were initially charged, one died and the other was declared unfit to stand trial.
Only Snyman was prosecuted.
After numerous court appearances, he pleaded guilty to the charge on Thursday.
Rademeyer had told the court though the April 17 incident was “a spontaneous low-level street fight”, the dogs had to suffer for status and egos.
Rademeyer said while the accused had a choice that day, the dogs did not.
Snyman was sentenced to a R2,000 fine or three months in prison, wholly suspended for five years, after taking into account that he had spent nearly five months in custody after his arrest.
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