THE Durban and Coast SPCA has welcomed the conviction of the man accused of dumping two young cats at the side of a busy road in Morningside in May 2024.

Ali Danka appeared at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 17, where he was found guilty of animal cruelty and fined R1000 or one month’s imprisonment. Danka was arrested last year after being spotted on CCTV dumping the cats in Morningside. “Although he initially denied his involvement, the entire incident – including the licence plate of the car – was captured by a nearby security camera,” said Durban and Coast SPCA marketing manager, Tanya Fleischer.

“Danka is seen pulling up next to the kerb, before heartlessly throwing the cats out of a basket into the gutter and driving off. Fortunately, the terrified animals ran away from the busy road and into a store, where they were saved and brought to our SPCA.” Danka is the SPCA’s first successful conviction for the year.

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Inspectorate manager, Candice Sadayan, said although the sentence was lenient, they welcomed it. “Danka now has a criminal record,” said Sadayan. “We pursued the case because treating animals in this manner is unacceptable, and this happened less than 8km away from our SPCA where the cats could have been handed over responsibly.”

Fleischer said after a thorough veterinary check, the young cats were found to be in good health and were successfully rehomed not long afterwards. She added, “Thank you to our wonderful circle of supporters for helping us stand up for the rights of voiceless animals. We have to send a clear message that animals matter. They cannot just be thrown away like unwanted garbage. They are sentient beings who feel fear, pain and sadness.”

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