The owner of Sheba the Tiger, Rassie Erasmus, could be in hot water for his culpability in the feline’s recent mauling spree.
What happened to Sheba the Tiger?
Social media has been abuzz with furore since it was reported that Sheba was euthanised at a fruit farm in the wee hours of Wednesday, 18 January 2023, after five days on the run.
In a statement quoted by CBS News, South Africa’s Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) confirmed valiant attempts were made to recapture the tiger and on Monday, 16 January 2023, Sheba had thwarted rescuers on three occasions.
Finally, days after escaping from her small enclosure where she was kept with Tyson, the male tiger, Sheba was traced to a housing area situated in Walkers Fruit Farms at approximately 01:55 on Wednesday morning.
“She had entered a farm area with six dwellings and with families living there. Sheba attacked and killed one of the domestic animals, and a call was made for urgent assistance. Members responded to the scene, and began to track the tiger,” Community policing forum representative Gresham Mandy told News24.
Following a series of consultations, a decision was made to euthanise Sheba and the tigress was taken down at approximately 03:45.
By then, Sheba had attacked a pig, two dogs and 39-year-old William Mokoena, who has since been recovering in hospital.
Will the tiger owner face legal action?
Erasmus has been the subject of furore on social media following his tiger’s mauling spree that almost claimed a human life. At this juncture, no announcements have come from Johannesburg law enforcement authorities on whether the farmer will face criminal charges for reckless endangerment.
However, from what we understand, Mokoena has recruited the services of top lawyer Zola Majavu in his bid to file a civil lawsuit against Erasmus.
While it’s been confirmed that Mokoena will pursue relief over Erasmus’ negligence, Majavu warned that “you don’t just rush off suing someone, you have to determine the extent of the negligence.”
“We also have to look at the extent of the injuries so that we are able to quantify the claim. It is still early days,” Mokoena’s lawyer told News24.
Erasmus has one other tiger, a male named Tyson, who shared living quarters will the now-deceased Sheba. From what we understand, the tiger has since been moved to an undisclosed location over fears he too may escape.
Here are some of the fiery reactions to Sheba’s death: