Johannesburg - Angry locals have accused the Roodepoort and Krugersdorp Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of policing their culture and tradition.
This comes after the SPCA took to Facebook to update their followers about a number of its inspectors' activities over the past few weeks.
Among those was a case involving a sangoma who allegedly had a goat tied to a tree in his yard in Little Falls, Roodepoort.
“Our inspectors received a call of a goat tied up in a backyard (on October 11). They found the goat tied up. The owner was told to let the goat walk free in the yard, which he did.
“The following day, the inspector did a follow-up. The sangoma was happy to show him the goat's carcass,” said the October 12 post on the SPCA's Facebook page.
Some people did not take kindly to the post, accusing the SPCA of being “nosey” and “insensitive”.
Naledi Pulu said: “SPCA, rather withdraw your statement and apologise for the misunderstanding. You will never win this one.”
Facilities manager Mandy Cattanach, however, said they were not against the slaughtering of animals but rather "the inhumane manner in which it was done”.
“People can slaughter what they like for whatever culture they like as long as it is done humanely," she said, adding that the SPCA was available to assist people with slaughtering to ensure that the animal did not suffer.
“Some people were rude, but we are used to it. The problem is that they were actually threatening our inspectors. I don't know if it is to scare us from doing our work.
“It is actually making us more determined to do our work properly. We are the voices for the animals that can't speak up,” Cattanach said.
Waldo Koorts commented: “Such backward cruel traditions in the name of culture. Wake up we're in 2018. No need for sangomas and slaughtering rituals."
Dwala Vuyanii responded: “Maybe if you were a vegetarian, then you'll have a say. No one will tell us how to perform our rituals in our rightful land. Your time of controlling us is over."
CRL Rights Commission chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said there was a huge difference between animal cruelty and slaughtering for cultural purposes.
“When slaughtering for traditional reasons, you are not cruel to the animal, but you are handing it over to your ancestors, and you would not do it with cruelty.
"The SPCA is overstepping the mark. They are nosey. The issue of cultural rights is a constitutional imperative,” she said.
“The Xaluvas slaughter for the Xaluvas. Where do they (SPCA) fit in and interfering in the slaughtering?” Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said.
She said this called for an open conversation between the SPCA and communities.
Cultural expert Pitika Ntuli said African culture was under attack.
“The SPCA has no right to tell us how we are to conduct our own culture,” Ntuli said.
@smashaba