A DISTRAUGHT Delaware Avenue resident has spoken out about her anguish after her pet cat, Rocky, was killed in a hit-and-run.
Jackie Nightingale’s cat was struck by a motorist on Adelaide Tambo Drive on December 5. He died moments later from the injuries he sustained to his head. The driver did not stop at the scene of the accident.
Nightingale shared a heartbreaking post on Facebook showing the incident, which was captured on CCTV footage.
She has asked for accountability and for the driver involved in the incident to come forward to help her with closure.
Also Read: uMhlanga residents fed up with speeding on M4
“I would just like to talk to the driver, so he can tell me what happened,” she explained. “I want to give them the opportunity to come forward. If he never does, that is on him. This is certainly not a revenge thing, I just want accountability. Human decency is important in this case, we don’t just hit animals and drive on. It has been such a terrible shock and I’m still grieving, trying to process what happened. It has been a dreadful time for me and Rocky’s brother, Sherlock.”
Nightingale said she’s had to purchase a pheromone collar for Rocky’s sibling, to help with his confusion.
“My cats were always indoor cats. I used to live on the Durban beachfront but, when I moved to Durban North, I had a little garden for them to roam. I would never leave them out at night but, during the summer, I would let them out at about 04:30 in the morning and put them back indoors by 06:30. This particular morning I don’t understand what happened, or what led to Rocky straying onto Adelaide Tambo Drive.
“If it wasn’t for the kindness of strangers, who moved Rocky off the road after he was killed, I would’ve found him just hours later as I live mere metres from where the accident took place. I also want motorists and visitors to the area to be aware that the speed limit on the road is 60km/h. I see speed limits being broken on a daily basis and my mind goes ‘what if this had been a young child or a pedestrian who could’ve been injured or worse?’. With a big vervet monkey population that lives in Virginia Bush nearby, I just want people to be aware that you are driving in a suburban area,” Nightingale said.
Also Read: New turn signal for busy Umhlanga Rocks Drive intersection
She has contacted Durban North SAPS and opened an incident report.
The local resident has since put up a cross where the accident took place, as a tribute to Rocky.
* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za)
You can also sign up for news alerts on Telegram. Send us a Telegram message (not an SMS) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5532.
For more from Northglen News follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram