A Zululand woman resorted to spin-drying a black mamba after she saw it inside her washing machine, The Citizen reported on Monday.
“I put the machine on spin dry and waited,” Margie Taylor told the publication.
“There was a lot of banging and clonking... when the machine stopped we opened the lid... (and) the snake was suspended over the detergent container, looking dazed and confused, but still alive.”
She had first tried to contact her husband David and a local snake catcher, but was unsuccessful.
By the time the spin-dryer had stopped, her husband had arrived home.
He helped unplug the washing machine and take it outside.
The machine lid was opened and the snake was pulled out with a coat hanger. It was then shot by her son.
The incident happened last week at Taylor's property in Inyoka, about 14km outside Empangeni. - Sapa