"You Owe Us": Animal Centre Calls Out DA After Giraffe Prop in Gauteng Sinkhole Sparks Fake Rescue
- DA Shadow MEC Evert Du Plessis used a life-size giraffe prop to highlight a neglected sinkhole on the R563 in Hekpoort, Gauteng
- Owl Rescue Centre rushed from an active rescue in Midrand to Hekpoort after receiving a call about a giraffe trapped in a sinkhole
- The centre publicly called out the DA for wasting their time and using animal remains as a political prop
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Source: Facebook
A political stunt meant to draw attention to a dangerous sinkhole ended up pulling a wildlife rescue organisation away from an actual emergency.
DA Shadow MEC for Roads and Logistics Evert Du Plessis returned to a sinkhole on the R563 in Hekpoort on 14 August 2026 to highlight that nothing had been done since the party first flagged the problem in February the previous year. To drive the point home, the DA placed a life-size giraffe prop, nicknamed Gary, into the hole to show just how deep it was.
The stunt worked, but not entirely in the way they intended.
Owl Rescue Centre rushes to the scene
When Owl Rescue Centre received a call reporting a giraffe trapped in a sinkhole in Hekpoort, they took it seriously. The team was in the middle of a rescue in Midrand at the time. They dropped everything, fought through heavy Friday traffic and headed to Hekpoort, only to discover they had been called out to a stuffed prop.
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The centre did not hold back in their response. They acknowledged why the DA needed to raise awareness about the state of the roads but said using animal remains as a political prop crossed a line. For a team that works with wildlife daily, seeing a mounted giraffe head stuck in a hole for political points felt disrespectful to wildlife and biodiversity. They also asked the DA to cover their fuel costs.
See the Owl Rescue Centre post here.
DA owes us fuel, says Rescue Centre
The Freedom Front Plus stepped in with a R10,000 donation to Owl Rescue Centre and publicly challenged the DA and other political parties to match or beat the amount.
South Africans were largely sympathetic to the rescue centre's frustration. Many agreed the DA owed them at the very least fuel money, while others felt the real issue was that someone called in the stunt as a genuine emergency.
@Penny Ellis said:
"Didn't rock my boat. Come on Helen, cough up for Owl Rescue."
@Pieter de Necker said:
"Thank you, Owl Rescue Centre for the amazing work you are doing! The Vryheidsfront Plus / Freedom Front Plus will make a donation of R10,000 (Ten thousand rand). We are challenging the Democratic Alliance (DA) and all other Political Parties to do the same or even better!"
@Estelle Mazzolini said:
"Absolutely!!! Now, #hellenzille #DA - you know the correct thing to do."
@Erica Wood said:
"Helen Zille Premier Alan Winde donation to the Owl rescue centre."
@Marinda Broedrich said:
"It's really not funny. Come on, DA, cough up!"
Watch the DA's sinkhole video on Facebook below:
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Source: Briefly News
