Hope takes the reins at Edenvale SPCA

With 16 years of experience at a variety of SPCA branches, inspector Hope Mokalapa is ready to help the animals of Edenvale to the best of his ability.

Hope, who joined Edenvale SPCA on January 4, started his SPCA career at Pretoria SPCA and worked at Germiston and Bedfordview and then Boksburg SPCA’s before joining the Edenvale SPCA.

He will be taking over from inspector Jade Nel, who took a step back from the society. “I’ve been in Edenvale for a few weeks, but the community appears to be welcoming so far,” said Hope.

“This branch is quieter than the other branches I worked at. “I am used to travelling up to 50km to get to a complaint or a call-out, whereas Edenvale is much smaller.”

As a child growing up in Mpumalanga, Hope said he grew up often surrounded by livestock and various animals.
After moving to Mamelodi, Pretoria, when he was older, Hope responded to an SPCA advert in a newspaper which encouraged community members to apply for an inspector training programme.

“I didn’t know what was entirely expected of me and I thought the programme had more to do with the breeding of livestock. However, I stuck by it.”

The apprentice programme gave the trainees hands-on experience, which Hope believes has helped him become the inspector he is today.

“I love being on the ground where I can work with the community, save animals and make a difference,” said Hope.
He said one of his most memorable cases was when he was still working for the Pretoria SPCA and had only been in the society for a few years.

“I had removed two German shepherds from an advocate’s property in Pretoria and the matter was taken to the High Court in Centurion because the advocate’s family was traumatised by the incident,” said Hope.
Hope said what made the incident so memorable was the fact that the veterinarian at the time agreed with his report and it proved that nobody is above the law.

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“I had been with the SPCA for two years, so winning that case motivated me as a young inspector and continues to motivate me to this day.”

Jade said although she has left the branch, she knows Edenvale will be in safe hands.

While Hope was at Germiston, he helped teach Jade and took her under his wing while she was a trainee inspector.

“I may have left society, but I will always be here to assist the team and they know that,” said Jade.

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