Limpopo man fined for smoking bong containing snake
A video of a man smoking a bong containing a live snake has sent shockwaves across South Africa.
A Limpopo man, Dirk de Jager, has been fined R2,000 after a shocking video of him smoking a bong containing a live snake spread like wildfire on social media.
According to The Citizen, De Jager pleaded guilty in the Kgapane Magistrate's Court.
This resulted in him receiving a R2,000 fine or a 30-day prison sentence, suspended for 12 months on the condition that De Jager is not convicted of the same crime during that period.
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In the video, De Jager can be seen sitting with a glass bottle in front of him. Inside the bottle is a live snake, and upon closer inspection, a tube can be seen protruding from the bottle's lid.
De Jager is then seen provoking the snake, lighting what is presumed to be dagga, and later inhaling the smoke that accumulates inside the bottle.
"It is believed the man was smoking cannabis and exposing the snake to the psychoactive substance," said the NSPCA.
Although the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) celebrated the man’s conviction, they feel that the sentence could have been harsher.
"The NSPCA finds it reprehensible that anyone could participate in behaviour such as this, let alone video the event and circulate it on social media," the NSPCA stated.
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"While we are disappointed in the leniency of the sentence, we are grateful that he is facing repercussions for his actions, including a criminal record."
"We sincerely hope that De Jager's case will deter others from engaging in these sorts of appalling activities."
Source: NSCPA
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IMAGE: NSPCA