A 32-year-old man has been arrested for the brutal killing of several kittens in Ruyterwacht, near Elsies River. 

According to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA (SPCA), the incident took place on 29 October 2025, when locals saw a man attacking and killing kittens in Pringle Close.  

Concerned community members intervened, detaining the suspect until SPCA Inspectors and officers from the City of Cape Town’s Animal Control Unit arrived. 

“Upon arrival, Inspectors found a yellow plastic bag containing three deceased kittens. The tiny bodies were bloodied and bore clear evidence of blunt force trauma, suggesting that they had been cruelly beaten to death before being discarded and buried in the sand,” said the Cape of Good Hope SPCA in a statement.  

The SPCA said the witnesses reported seeing the suspect earlier that day, carrying a box of kittens, allegedly trying to sell them. They suggested that he was selling them to buy drugs.  

“When no one complied, he allegedly inflicted fatal injuries on them and discarded their bodies in the street.” 

The man was arrested on the scene by Law Enforcement officers and was held at Elsies River SAPS.  

The SPCA has laid animal cruelty charges under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962. 

SPCA spokesperson, Belinda Abrahams, confirmed that the post-mortem examination revealed that the three deceased kittens died of blunt force trauma to the head.  

“They essentially all had their skulls crushed…  It’s just such a horrifically violent act that would’ve caused them immense suffering,” said Abrahams.  

Amid the horror, the SPCA said one kitten miraculously survived. The injured animal, later named Hope, was taken for emergency veterinary care, where X-rays revealed a fractured leg caused by blunt force.  

The SPCA said Hope remains under treatment and is expected to make a full recovery. 

SPCA Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse described the attack as a senseless act of cruelty.

“These kittens suffered unimaginable pain at the hands of someone who showed no compassion or humanity. No living being deserves to die this way. We commend the swift action of our Inspectors, the City’s Animal Control Unit, and the community members who stood up for these helpless animals,” said Pieterse.