Mapaseka Maleka and Mbali Masango, both from Daveyton, have a passion for the environment and conservation, including snake handling.<\/p>\n
Having undergone an intense snake handling course at the African Snakebite Institute, the women are now well equipped with skills such as snake awareness, first aid for snakebite, and venomous snake handling techniques.<\/p>
Mapaseka said it took guts and bravery for her to develop a passion to handle snakes given that it is a field perceived to be only for men.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to see my male colleagues responding to calls from members of the community to come assist them with snakes in their houses and I would see how terrified some people get by just looking at a snake in incidents where I went with my colleagues.<\/p>\n
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ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Remember to check for credentials during property valuation inspections<\/a><\/p>\n Extended power outages leave residents in the dark for days<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat was where my passion to assist others grew.<\/p>\n \u201cMore importantly, I wanted to assist those with snakebites with first aid,\u201d Mapaseka said.<\/p>\n Ekurhuleni is home to the brown house snake, among others, known to frequent human dwellings where it feeds on rodents or lizards.<\/p>\n It is completely harmless and relies on muscle power to constrict its prey.<\/p>\n This snake is active at night and is relatively slow moving.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the rinkhals resembles a cobra and is very poisonous and deadly.<\/p>\n The rinkhals can spit venom with reasonable accuracy up to a distance of about two metres.<\/p>\n Upon catching the snakes Mapaseka and Mbali donate them on behalf of the metro to Snake City in Edenvale for conservation and educational purposes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Also follow us on:<\/p>\n
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