The woman who thought she saw a tiger hiding in the bushes across her home in Shallcross, Durban, said she had overcome her fear.
On Tuesday, Shallcross resident Mbali Skhakhane sent a voice note to the Shallcross Community Policing Forum (CPF) WhatsApp group, stating that she spotted a tiger and its babies under a tree in the bushes along Madho Road.
The Shallcross CPF chairperson, Vishal Lachman, said when the group received a “distress” call from the resident, several security companies and CPF members sprang into action.
“There is a tiger there sleeping with its babies. I do not know, but at the dead end, there is a tiger sleeping there. So there are guys who are cutting the grass over here. I do not know how I can get assistance but can you get security to check?” said Skhakhane.
She explained that the grass on the verges had overgrown outside her property, so she hired private grass cutters. However, her car was parked near the verge and they requested that she move it. She drove to the end of the road and made a U-turn.
“I was seated in the car with my son. I had my music on, and when I looked into the bush, I saw what looked like a tiger. I looked away. I asked my son to confirm if what I saw was correct. He also saw the tiger. In my mind I thought it was sleeping,” she said.
“I did not want to get out of the car. I thought it was a tiger that might have escaped from a nature reserve. I tried to phone my neighbour for help but they did not answer. When the security arrived, they moved stealthily towards the tiger. The security guard had his gun drawn. Looking from a distance the guard said it was a tiger.
“We tried to disturb the tiger by pressing the car hooter. They even threw some stones at the tiger to get it to move. The guard went closer and when it did not move, he then realised it was a stuffed tiger,” she said.
Lachman added: “Panic kicked in when we received confirmation of a positive tiger sighting from a security company. However, after a thorough search, security companies and members reported that the ‘tiger’ was actually a teddy bear left in the bush!
“This light-hearted incident reminds us that community spirit and quick thinking can bring us together, even in unexpected ways! Stay safe, and keep looking out for each other!”
In September 2024, a tiger cub was found at a residential property in Chase Valley in Pietermaritzburg. The tiger was estimated to be between four and six months old.
In May 2024, two lion cubs were found without a permit inside a residential property in the Dawncliffe area of Westville.
