Mole snakes for sale? CapeNature probes illegal wildlife trade on Spine Road

A viral video showing a man selling a live snake at the corner of Swartklip and Spine roads has prompted an investigation by CapeNature.

The footage, widely circulated online, shows the large reptile being handled and offered for sale on the street in what appears to be Khayelitsha.

The spot is popular for retail sale along Spine Road and Swartlip Road, where various items are sold by anyone.

CapeNature spokesperson Petro van Rhyn confirmed the species seen in the video is a mole snake.

“It is a (dehydrated / stressed) mole snake,” she said.

Mole snakes (Pseudaspis cana) are indigenous to South Africa and commonly found in the Western Cape. Although non-venomous, the species is listed as protected in terms of the Western Cape Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974.

Van Rhyn said permits are required for activities involving the species, including taking it from the wild, keeping it in captivity or transporting it.

“A permit would be required for the snake in the video (i.e. taking from the wild, keeping, transporting etc.),” she said.

The sale or trade of protected indigenous wildlife without the necessary authorisation is unlawful.

“It is not legal,” van Rhyn confirmed when asked whether wildlife may be sold on the street without authorisation.

She added that the Nature Conservation Ordinance governs the sale and trade of snakes and other indigenous wildlife in the Western Cape.

In addition, van Rhyn said aspects of the Animals Protection Act could potentially apply, given what she described as abuse of the snake in the video. Enforcement of that Act would fall under the local SPCA.

“Yes, we have been made aware and will investigate the incident,” she said.

The incident comes amid ongoing enforcement action against wildlife crimes in the province.

Earlier this month, a foreign national was convicted in a Western Cape regional court for illegally possessing protected reptiles without the required permits under the Nature Conservation Ordinance. In that matter, the animals were forfeited and placed into appropriate care, underscoring the legal consequences of unlawfully removing and trading indigenous species.

CapeNature has repeatedly warned that removing wildlife from its natural habitat constitutes an offence and places significant stress on animals while threatening local biodiversity.

The investigation into the mole snake incident is expected to determine whether any offences were committed under conservation or animal welfare legislation.

The SPCA had not responded to media enquiries by the time of publication.

Members of the public are urged not to purchase wild animals and to report incidents involving the illegal trade or mistreatment of wildlife to the relevant authorities.

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