Thanks to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and Sea Point community, a man has been sentenced for the brutal attack and killing of a Spotted Eagle Owl earlier this year.
Cape Town, South Africa (07 October 2025) – Earlier this year, thousands of South Africans were deeply saddened when a Spotted Eagle Owl was brutally attacked on the Sea Point Promenade. The owl later died from its injuries, but today there’s finally some justice.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has confirmed that 38-year-old Gustigu Mthini was found guilty on four charges linked to the attack, including animal cruelty under the Animals Protection Act and the illegal killing of a protected species.
He was sentenced to a fine and suspended jail time, with one month to be served before deportation back to Mozambique.
While nothing can undo the loss of the harmless owl, the conviction is a big step in showing that cruelty against animals will not be ignored.
Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse, who relentlessly pursued the case alongside Sea Point CID, says:
“This is a victory for the animals we serve and protect, animal cruelty has no place in our society. We all have a moral and legal duty to protect our wild animals and report acts of cruelty wherever they occur. This outcome sends a strong message that those who harm animals will be held accountable.”
The case sparked public outrage back in February when the shocking act was caught on video, but it also reminded us that South Africa is watching, and we don’t step down. Cape Town’s community won’t stand by quietly when an innocent creature suffers.
Neighbours, onlookers and wildlife lovers rallied behind the SPCA, sharing footage, reporting information and demanding accountability.
Praise goes to Sea Point CID and its Chairperson, Jacques Weber, for standing firmly with the SPCA from day one until the verdict was handed down. It was a community effort, proving that when people get together, justice can be served for the voiceless, too.
The Spotted Eagle Owl is a protected species, an important predator in our ecosystems that helps keep rodent populations in check. In a city where wildlife and people share so many spaces, this ruling gives hope that real, lawful action can and will be taken in protecting wildlife and encouraging co-existence.
Owls have lived on this Earth long before our human evolution, by a measure of millions of years. It’s always good to keep things in perspective – wildlife should be respected and protected.
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