The Pretoria Zoo has bid a sad farewell to 26-year-old black rhino Mbani who died on Monday morning.

The zoo shared the news in a statement on the National Zoological Garden’s Facebook page.

“Mbani died from an acute case of cholic that struck him down this morning. It did not appear to be a chronic condition,” it shared.”The zoo’s veterinarians were with him at the time of his death and did all they could to assist him”.

Mbani was born in 1993 and became a resident of the zoo in 1998.

“At 26 years he will be sorely missed,” the zoo said.

Visitors also expressed their condolences for Mbani, sharing memories of when he was a calf.

One person commented: “We’ll miss him. I still remember when he was small playing with a ball and made everyone laugh because he was so cute. RIP, boy, you were just a year older than me, but I will cherish the times I saw you each time when I went there to look at you.”

Another commended the efforts of the zookeepers: “A loss for the team who were so dedicated to his well-being.”

According to the World Wildlife Fund, black rhinos are critically endangered due to poaching, with the number of rhinos thought to be between 5 042 and 5 455.

A case of culpable homicide has been opened after a two-month baby was found dead in Ottosdal, Potchefstroom, police said on Sunday.

“According to information available at this stage, reports suggest that the mother slept with the baby on Tuesday night after a drinking spree and subsequent altercation with the baby’s father,” Brigadier SB Mokgwabone said in a statement.

The baby was found dead on Wednesday.

A post-mortem will now be conducted as part of ongoing investigations.

Three SA organisations aimed at job creation and boosting small businesses will begin 2020 by vying for assistance from the R100k raised through crowdfunding by ImStaying to further their cause.

The announcement was made by the #ImStaying movement, which started off as a Facebook page in September and has attracted about 999,000 followers. Its founder, Jarette Petzer of Cape Town, said the group’s purpose was to change the narrative in SA from the “constant doom and gloom, and more towards gratitude, love, respect and understanding”.

Three months later, the group’s Ingrid von Stein said it had broadened its mandate, as suggested by its members, to implement a number of initiatives aimed at helping to stimulate the economy through SMME businesses and job creation in this sector.

“In January, we will identify three ordinary SA organisations that work specifically in the micro and small businesses space and put their names forward to the #Imstaying group members who will then vote and ultimately decide who will get the prize,” said Stein.

The group’s first crowdfunding initiative on Backabuddy, has raised R104,885 so far. Von Stein said a small percentage of funds raised would be used on operational costs.

South Africans have pledged amounts from as little as R2.06 to just over R1,500 and left messages of hope.

An anonymous donor said, “My hope is that many lives will be changed for the better through this initiative”. Dawn Fryer, who pledged R103, wrote: “Please do not spend this on billboards. Rather use it for job creation. Thanks for your efforts. We are going to make a difference!”

Von Stein said the group had now become a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and would soon launch its website, which ordinary people could use to ask for assistance.

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