Johannesburg businessman Lethabo Sebapo, who is facing criminal charges by the SPCA relating to animal cruelty, claims a clip of him force-feeding a fish alcohol was meant for “fun.”
The video has gone viral on social media, much to the shock and disgust of many South Africans.
BUSINESSMAN ON ANIMAL CRUELTY VIDEO: ‘FOR FUN’
In a video posted on TikTok – the man, identified as Lethabo Sebapo – was seen force-feeding a fish a bottle of an alcoholic beverage.
The businessman—who owns The Eatery Hub—laughed as the fish swallowed the bottle of Sol Beer while gasping for air.
The video quickly went viral on social media, with many South Africans accusing the man of animal cruelty.
Speaking to The South African, SPCA’s Jacques Peacock stated that Sebapo had been traced and informed that he would be facing criminal prosecution via the Animal Protection Act.
He added that Sebapo claimed that the video had been made “for fun.”. It’s unclear if he has expressed any remorse.
Sebapo has since made his TikTok and Instagram pages private.
The South African has reached out to Sebapo for comment. This article will be updated once received.
DOING IT FOR LIKES?
Meanwhile, the SPCA has condemned the rise of animal cruelty cases that have been posted on social media platforms.
The animal activists said in a statement: “Since the rise of social media platforms like TikTok, the NSPCA has seen an alarming increase in videos depicting animal cruelty. Much of our Inspectors’ time and resources are now taken up by tracking and investigating the sources of such videos.
“The NSPCA is heartened by the widespread condemnation of the individual’s actions, which reflects the compassion many South Africans feel for animals – including fish, who are often overlooked in their capacity for sentience and suffering.”
The organisation hoped that the animal cruelty prosecution against Lethabo Sebapo would “serve as a strong deterrent, discouraging individuals not only from publishing acts of animal cruelty as a form of entertainment but also from committing them in the first place.”
HOW DO YOU THINK ANIMAL CRUELTY PERPETRATORS SHOULD BE PUNISHED?
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