Unemployed brothers living on dead dogs, cats or snakes since 1994

Two unemployed brothers from Temba, north of Tshwane, in South Africa have been living on dogs, cats or snakes meat for almost two decades.

Joseph Shandukani walks around the village every day looking dead animals and takes them home.

He skins them and makes biltong or a braai. That's how Joseph Shandukani get the daily food that keeps him and his brother Peter going. The brothers from Temba, north of Tshwane, have been living on dead animals since 1994 after Peter lost his job. They sometimes cook the dead dogs and cats inside the house on a fire made from burning tyres.

A neighbour told the People's Paper: "After collecting the animals, they hang them under a tree where they skin them. Then they make biltong by putting the skinned animals on the roof of the house. Sometimes they make a fire inside the house and braai the dead animals."

The two unemployed brothers are said to be mentally ill and Peter told Daily Sun: "We have lived this way for 18 years."

But on Mandela Day, ward 74 councillor Jabu Sibaya stepped in.

Sibaya said: "We have been aware of this situation for a long time and we have been trying to get donations so that we can help this family.They are mentally ill and the younger brother, Joseph, destroys everything in the house. As part of the 67 minutes for Mandela, we have replaced the broken window panes and put in a new door. They need counselling and rehabilitation so that their living conditions can be changed. If they can be rehabilitated, we will be able to assist with jobs so that they can look after themselves."

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