On Monday this week, Sarel received a phone call about a big snake in a man’s store room in Munster. The home owner had gone to put something away in the room when he spotted the snake.
Sarel searched for about a hour to find the mamba.
At 10.30pm, Sarel drove to Munster and after a long game of hide and seek, finally found the three metre black mamba hiding under some items.
I didn’t know what I was looking for, so I was on high alert. It was nerve-wracking. It is easy to catch a green mamba but you always have to be one step ahead of a black mamba, as if he is cornered and feels threatened he will come for you. You are only convinced it is a black mamba once you see and hear it.
Sarel’s snake missions take him to many different places. On Monday last week he was called by a Port Edward resident who had heard a loud noise in his ceiling. Sarel went to investigate.
Sarel with the black mamba he retrieved from a home in Port Edward.
“The home owner opened the trap door and stared into the eyes of a black mamba chomping a rat. He quickly closed the trap door and called me.”
Sarel climbed into the ceiling and had to crawl on his stomach until he spotted the black mamba in the corner of the ceiling.
I was praying with open eyes – Sarel
The ceiling of the house where Sarel found the mamba.
Last week, Sarel was called by the police to help catch a snake in Gamalakhe. He retrieved the three-metre black mamba from a store room, much to the delight of a grateful community.
Sarel comes to the rescue in Gamalakhe.
He then safely caught another black mamba, about two metres in length, hiding in a shed in the Nositha area, near Margate last Friday.
Sarel with Bianca Dunn of Margate SAPS.
He thanked the community and the police for calling him before harming the snakes. “A special thanks to the cops for always assisting me,” he added.
“I once had a Chief call me and also thank me for what I do in the community. It’s experiences like this, that make it all worth it.”
Anyone who needs a snake caught can contact Sarel at 082 6831604.