Imagine opening the bonnet of your bakkie and finding a 2.5-meter-long python curled up on the engine. This is exactly what happened to a Pretoria student, Juan le Roux.

“We were driving back to Pretoria from our farm near Cullinan on Wednesday. I decided to stop at a rock where I always see snakes.

“We saw three snakes, and as I was taking photos, one slithered away. When I checked, one of the snakes was missing. Benjamin, who was with me, thought it might be up in the engine.”

Also read: More snakes observed in and around Pretoria

When they opened the bonnet, they spotted the giant snake. Juan said they tried using sticks to maneuver the snake out but were not brave enough to grab it.

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The snake moved deeper into the side of the engine, prompting them to call snake catcher Maggle Webster.

“We got the call and responded,” Webster said.

“We worked until midnight on Wednesday evening to try and get it out.”

Webster said her husband and son both named Vincent assisted her until midnight.

By this time, the snake was curled behind the front left fender and wouldn’t move. Despite their efforts, they were unsuccessful in removing the snake.

After midnight, Juan parked the bakkie in his Brooklyn complex and decided to keep the snake a secret.

“I covered the side of the bakkie with blankets as I was sure the snake wouldn’t move,” he said.

On Thursday, Bertus from AB Motors assisted and removed the fender. Webster wasted no time and quickly grabbed the huge python.

“It is a South African Python measuring 2.5 meters. It is a protected species,” she added.

Webster had been catching snakes for three years.

Save these numbers:

Snake catcher Maggie Webster – 082 299 2822