“It’s Happening Too Much Now”: Snake Catcher Called to Remove Puff Adder in a Mall, SA Stunned

• A local snake catcher was called to attend to a puff adder that was found in a local mall, in the women's restrooms
• The animal lover quickly responded to the call and, upon arrival, found shoppers frightened and unable to enter the toilets
• Social media users were shocked that the snakes were now moving in areas occupied by humans, while others jokingly associated the reptile with females

What started as a normal shopping day at a mall for some Mossel Bay residents turned into a nightmare when they came across a reptile in the ladies' toilets.

The incident was captured and shared on Facebook by user Slangboere on 8 April 2026, where it drew the attention of many viewers.

The man received a call from someone at the Hartenbos Seefront shopping centre and quickly drove with his gear. When he arrived, he was directed to the women's restrooms, where the snake was spotted. Upon arrival, he confirmed that the snake was a puff adder while watching it coil itself after he touched it with a hook.

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The snake hides in the women's restrooms

A few women who were standing, watching the man in action, got a fright when Facebook user Slangboere caught it with a hook. He then removed it and placed it in the snake tube as the women watched. In the caption, the man noted that the incident could have turned out badly if someone had walked in and not seen the snake. The creator cautioned those on holiday in the area to be on the lookout for the reptiles, saying they've had many callouts for puff adders. He also noted that they are poisonous, adding that their bite causes a lot of tissue damage.

Watch the Facebook reel below:

SA debates the snake incident

The clip gained massive views and comments from viewers who tried to give a logical explanation of what may have happened, and some who responded with humour. Many said that since the Mossel Bay and surroundings fire, many snakes ran out of the woods, and hence were found in the mall too. They also shared other places they were spotted at, which are not their usual places. Some advised the snake handlers to make a plan, saying people's lives were in danger. One user classified the snake as a female, noting its short tail, and jokingly pointing out that it also knew that it had to go to the women's restrooms.

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User @Janine Julyan asked:

"Hoekom is daar nou so baie slange (why are there so many snakes now)?"

User @Etta Coetzee said:

"Na die brande. Logies dat hulle weggevlug het en dat een pad oop is ondertoe. Dit sal weer verander (after the fires. Logically, they fled, and one way open is down. It will change again)."

User @Juliet Spieker added:

"Jip, daar is baie slange veral pof adders hier in Mosselbaai en Hartenbos na die brande (yep, there are a lot of snakes, especially puff adders, here in Mossel Bay and Hartenbos after the fires)."

User @Pieter Van Rooyen teased:

"Daai lyk na 'n dogtertjie slang. Stert is kort..en sy was by die girls se badkamer. Mooi gevang Slangboere (that looks like a little girl snake. The tail is short, and she was in the girls' bathroom.🤣 Nice catch)."

User Mooneën Swart shared:

"Julle sal 'n plan met hierdie slange moet maak; dit gebeur nou te veel. Mense en besoekers se lewens is meer werd (you will have to make a plan with these snakes, it is happening too much now. People and visitors' lives are worth more."

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User @Vossie Filmalter commented:

"Ons was February daar en een op strand gekry so net na 17h00 die aand gelukkig my vrou en haar suster in tyd gewaarsku (we were there in February and found one on the beach just after 5 pm that evening, luckily my wife and her sister were warned in time)."

3 Briefly News snake-related articles

• A KwaZulu-Natal snake handler shared a clip of a black mamba showing off its height while dancing, shocking many social media users.
• A woman shared a terrifying video after discovering a snake slithering across the tiled floor of her home, prompting her to immediately panic and call for help.
• A massive black mamba was safely removed from a home in KwaZulu-Natal after it was discovered hiding in a bedroom wardrobe, shocking many social media users.

Source: Briefly News