Pta dad in trouble over python

2005-05-29 22:04

Sonja Carstens

Pretoria - A father is facing a charge of attempted murder after driving around with a Burmese python, his daughter's pet, to protect his property against thieves.

Carel David Coetzee from Les Marais has appealed against the charges in the Pretoria North regional court.

He says he never meant to imperil lives by driving around with the python in his car.

Coetzee is in trouble after an operator at the Zambezi toll gate in Montana Park in March last year noticed the snake in his car and started screaming.

The operator refused to help Coetzee, but instead called the police and laid a charge against him.

After several appearances in the Pretoria North magistrate's court, Coetzee's case was referred to the regional court.

Coetzee says Burmese pythons are readily available in pet shops and no permit is necessary to own one.

He says he usually drives around with the snake in his car to protect it against thieves.

He often uses the tollgate, and the other operators often ask him about the python. If they can't see it, they usually want to know where it is.

Coetzee denies threatening or intimidating the upset operator with the snake.

Octavia Ngwenya, senior State prosecutor, says she is waiting for the police docket before considering Coetzee's appeal.

Lots of teeth

She says she can't say whether the alleged incident was racist before studying the docket.

Ngwenya says after studying the docket, she will decide whether to refer the case to the director of public prosecutions to decide whether Coetzee should be prosecuted.

Coetzee doesn't want to comment before the case is finalised.

Kenneth Strydom, a zoologist at the Hartbeespoort Dam snake and animal park confirms it is not necessary to have a permit to keep a Burmese python.

Strydom says the snake has between 100 and 150 very sharp teeth with which it can inflict a painful bite, depending on the size of the snake.

- Rapport