In the quiet community of Mgababa Section, Putfontein, near Benoni, a deeply upsetting incident has left many people shocked and saddened. On November 3, 2025, 65-year-old Nomsa Maseko watched helplessly as an angry crowd attacked and set alight five of her eight cats, the animals she lovingly called her “children.”
Here are a couple of touching images showing the kind of bond many elderly people share with their cats. The same kind of affection Nomsa had for hers:
The mob accused Nomsa who lives alone and originally comes from KwaZulu-Natal of using the cats for witchcraft. In the chaos, her simple shack was vandalised, her belongings thrown outside, and she was left homeless and traumatised. She has since been kindly taken in by a compassionate local woman, Nonhlanhla Bhila, who opened her home to help.
Nomsa has spoken about the pain that still keeps her awake at night: she says she keeps hearing the cries of her cats and seeing their faces. The two surviving cats are now being cared for, and community members have stepped in with donations of food and clothing to support her.
A disturbing video that has become part of the police investigation captured the heartbreaking moment, Maseko desperately carrying her cats outside just before the attack began, while belongings lay scattered around her home.
On December 1, police arrested three suspects: Dudu Nkoyena, Moses Skosana, and Cleopatra Mlambo. They face charges of animal cruelty. The trio first appeared in the Daveyton Magistrate’s Court on December 3, and returned on December 9 for a bail hearing.
That day, the courtroom was packed with community members from Mgababa Section who came out in strong support of the accused, filling the public gallery.
Unfortunately, the bail application couldn’t proceed right away. The court heard that the home addresses of two of the accused (Dudu Nkoyena and Cleopatra Mlambo) couldn’t be properly verified yet, although the third suspect’s address (Moses Skosana) was confirmed. The magistrate postponed the matter to December 18 to allow more time for verification and to move forward with bail proceedings.
This sad case highlights the painful intersection of superstition, fear, and animal cruelty in some communities. Nomsa Maseko is simply asking for justice so that no one else ever has to go through the same nightmare she’s enduring.
Animal welfare groups and police continue to urge people: if you have concerns about suspected witchcraft or unusual animal behaviour, please report them properly to authorities or the SPCA rather than taking matters into your own hands.
Our thoughts are with Nomsa during this difficult time. May she find some peace and healing soon.