THE dream of owning a snake- free home could soon come true for a Bloemendal woman who has been living in a reptile-infested wooden house for more than 20 years.
The house of Katie Fairley, 53, near an open dumping site, is in a state of disrepair and has been attracting various species of house snakes. She hopes to occupy her dream house before Christmas this year.
Her present home was one of four houses built as prototypes by various developers to introduce their products to the community in the late 1970s.
It was decided that the houses should be occupied to prevent vandalism, but they are now in a state of disrepair.
The slithery creatures find their way inside and surprise Fairley in her bed, on couches and in any other warm place.
“It is not easy to live in a house of snakes. You are constantly on the lookout because you don’t know when or where you will find them.
“I’m also very scared of these creatures and often wonder when they will strike,” Fairley said. Fortunately for her and her family, in the 20 years she has been living with the problem, none of snakes has had a chance to bite her as she always saw them first.
With the help of neighbour Godfrey de Wet she catches three or four snakes a week.
“I’ve caught all sorts of house snakes,” De Wet said.
Fairley said: “One of the scariest incidents was when my daughter was sleeping on the couch and a snake slithered onto her pillow.
“Just as it was about to lift its head to bite her, Godfrey managed to grab it and throw it outside before killing it.”
De Wet said: “We realised later that the snake was looking for a place to produce her young. That day we counted more than 10 baby snakes.”
Fairley said: “The government has been promising to build us houses for a long time.
“Last year Housing MEC Nombulelo Mabandla visited the area. She saw the condition of the houses and listened to our snake problems.”
ANC MPL Christian Martin said he had brought the matter before the legislature.
“My office is trying all means possible to make sure that Fairley gets a house before Christmas. It will be built in the same area. The delay is with the provincial Housing Department.
“We are waiting for them to start the process,” Martin said.
Departmental spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said houses to replace those occupied by Fairley and her three neighbours would be built under the department’s emergency programme.
“The house should be completed before December. The department and the municipality are working on layout plans for the house.
“Fairley will be living in her dream house by Christmas,” Sicwetsha said.