“Lord Have Mercy”: Bat Infestation Under Roof Leaves Mzansi Spooked

• A video showing experts removing a roof only to discover a massive infestation of bats has left South Africans terrified
• The clip shows hundreds of shrieking, writhing bats clustered together underneath roofing materials
• Many South Africans shared their fear of bats in the comments, with some even admitting they've had similar problems in their own homes

A skin-crawling video of a massive bat infestation has left South Africans thoroughly spooked after it was shared on social media.

Content creator @bongani.mnguni.167, known for posting interesting and funny videos, shared the disturbing clip mid-April. It showed what homeowners discovered when they removed roofing materials from a house. As the experts lift the roof, they reveal piles of bats clustered together on the wooden beams, shrieking and writhing when exposed to the light.

The video shows just how easily bats can take up residence in homes without the owners noticing. Being nocturnal creatures, bats spend their days hidden away in dark, quiet spaces like roof cavities, only becoming active at night when most people are asleep.

Read also

"I was only joking": Baboon stalks women to steal Woolies shopping bag, Mzansi in stitches

Bat infestations are more common than many people realise. The small mammals often seek shelter in roofs because these spaces protect them from predators and the elements while being close to their feeding grounds. A single small gap in roofing materials is all they need to gain entry. Signs of a bat infestation might include hearing strange noises in the ceiling at night or noticing bats flying out from the roof area in the evening.

Watch the Facebook clip below.

Protected but problematic

Bats are good for the environment because they eat lots of insects, but nobody wants them living in their home. The tricky part is that in many countries, bats are protected by law, including South Africa, so you can't just kill them or kick them out however you want.

If you need to get rid of bats, you'll need to call professionals who know how to do it properly. They usually put special doors on your roof that let bats fly out but not back in. They can only do this at certain times of the year when baby bats aren't being looked after by their parents.

Read also

"Thank God and your ancestors": Man startled by huge snake in an engine, SA says it's spiritual warfare

If you think you have bats in your roof, your best bet is to call your local wildlife office or a bat protection group before you do anything. They'll tell you what kind of bats you have and what you're allowed to do about them according to the rules in your area.

South Africans react with fear

The comment section was filled with South Africans expressing their horror at the bat-infested roof.

@SarahLuciaMaluleke related to the problem:

"We've got the same problem here at home. They scare me so much."

@MbalenhleKoena couldn't imagine living there:

"Ngeke throw that house away."

@PrincessDee referenced vampire mythology:

"They're vampires, they can't stand the sunlight."

@NdabaningiMwenecho joked:

"Drac, is that you?"

@JanineDuPlessis was shocked:

"Lord have mercy."

@LeroyAugust made a superhero reference:

"That's BAT MAN's house 🔥"

@ThizaPatric described a physical reaction:

"My body is vibrating."

3 other animal stories making headlines

• Briefly News recently reported on former traditional healer Gogo Skhotheni speaking out against animal sacrifices.
• A woman shared her frustration after flying over 4000km to go to a funeral she did not think was worth the effort.
• A hilarious video of a baboon stalking women to steal their Woolworths shopping bag went viral thanks to a funny voiceover.

Source: Briefly News