Outrage is mounting in Pretoria after a business owner allegedly shot and killed feral cats with a shotgun in Silver Lakes.

A Pretoria business owner is at the centre of outrage after he allegedly shot and killed feral cats with a shotgun on a property of a lodge in Silver Lakes, Pretoria, in front of eyewitnesses, before allegedly threatening people who tried to stop him, reports Pretoria Rekord.

Juanita Cronje, who lives on the property, says she and her fiancé moved there about four years ago. About a year later, she noticed people dumping tame cats in the area, and the animals began living on the lodge’s premises.

“I am an animal lover and could not stand the thought of these cats being dumped and left to fend for themselves, so I made sure to feed them,” she says.

Cronje states she had turned to social media for assistance as the number of cats continued to grow. This was not successful.

Her fiancé, Tobie Mynaardt, works for the lodge owner, Mike von Backström.

According to Cronje, Von Backström had repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill the cats and had allegedly even put out poison for them. She alleged that matters escalated last Thursday when Von Backström arrived on the property and started shooting at the cats with a shotgun.

“I was busy in the bathroom when I heard the first shot. I tried to look out the window, but I could not see what was going on, so I ran outside and saw Mike with the shotgun. A black cat started running in my direction, and I shouted at Mike to stop shooting. He screamed and said that if I did not get out of the way, he would shoot me as well. He then shot the black cat as it was walking towards me. I was in complete shock, and he was sitting in his bakkie with his shotgun, laughing like a crazy person,” she says.

Cronje claims that he then left, but promised to return to shoot the rest of the cats. She immediately phoned Mynaardt, who rushed home. Cronje says she later passed out from the shock.

Mynaardt says he confronted Von Backström about the shooting and the alleged threats, but was met with hostility.

“He shouted at me, fired me, and told us we had 24 hours to vacate the property,” Mynaardt says.

He adds that shortly after leaving Von Backström’s office, the electricity supply to their unit was disconnected. The couple said they have been without power since last Friday.

Meanwhile, Cronje’s son Danie took to social media to report the shooting. The post quickly gained traction, prompting urgent efforts to safely remove the remaining cats from the property.

Nine cats were caught on Monday, while animal welfare organisations continue efforts to catch the remaining animals. Among those still at risk are seven kittens believed to be under eight weeks old.

Leoni Bateman from Four Paws and a Beating Heart, along with a team from the Swawel Vet Animal Hospital, including Dr Janus Wagner, captured the cats.

A case has been opened, and the incident has sparked fury across Pretoria, with private investigator Mike Bolhuis also becoming involved.

However, Von Backström has rejected the portrayal of him as a ‘monster’ and says the feral cat problem on his property in Silverlakes has become an increasing health and safety concern over the past three to four years.

He says he was pushed to his limits last week after, according to him, repeated requests to the couple, Cronje and Mynaardt, living on his premises, to address the growing number of cats were ignored.

Von Backström states that since the beginning of the year, he had been trying to manage the issue by catching the cats and surrendering them to the Tshwane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

According to him, boxes full of cats have already been handed over. Tshwane SPCA investigator Andrew Kekana confirms that 16 cats have been surrendered since February.

“I am now being made out to be this monster, and I am not,” Von Backström says.

“My family, including my grandchildren, have been receiving threats online, and our business has been badly affected by cancellations and negative reviews. No one seems to care to get our side of the story.”

He adds that these cats have been destructive on their property, killing wildlife.

“We love animals; we have two adopted dogs from the SPCA who sleep in our bed and are very much loved.”

Von Backström further alleges that the couple were living in a one-bedroom apartment with their 24-year-old son, other family and 18 cats.

He claims the cats had not been sterilised and nothing had been done to control their breeding.

“These poor cats are mostly underfed and in bad shape. How can you claim to be acting in their best interest if you are not making a plan for sterilisation?” he says.

Kekana confirmed to Rekord that most of the cats surrendered since February were in good condition.

He furthermore adds that the matter is under investigation. Bolhuis also confirmed the case and the investigation.

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