Black mamba still roaming free

Family seeking intervention from municipality

THE 2.5m black mamba that claimed the life of a Durban grandmother recently is yet to be captured.

The family of Saroj Naidoo, 75, of Parlock, with the help of experts, are preparing to enlist the assistance of the municipality to capture the elusive reptile.

Family spokesman, Des Moodley, said he is in the process of putting together an application to the city’s electricity department so that snakes can access the substaion next to the Naidoo home, in order for the snake catchers to get the snake.

He said the mamba was seen near the substation.

“If there is a nest, we need to capture the rest of them and release them,” said Moodley.

Two weeks ago, Naidoo was bitten above her ankle whilst seated at her kitchen table, eating dinner.

Naidoo’s husband, Bobby, who heard her screams, found her lying on the floor with the snake on top of her. Naidoo was taken to ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre where she died three days later.

Moodley said a baby mamba was found on the property this week and killed. “We (also) found egg shells in the sub-station, but we could not find the snake. We realised the snake is inside the concrete slab below the sub-station. I am in the process of making an application to the municipality to shut down the power and get a crane to lift the slab, but it also means that businesses and houses would be affected for about three to four hours,” said Moodley.

“It is dangerous for people in the neighbourhood and small pets. There are a lot of kids around and people walk along the road to the nearby shops. It’s also a hazard to municipal workers going to work in the substation.”