A Cape Town man has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after admitting to fraudulently posing as a qualified SPCA inspector, submitting falsified credentials in an attempt to secure employment with the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
The man, identified as Eric Victor du Preez, was convicted following an investigation launched in August 2025, when irregularities were detected in his job application.
Falsified
Du Preez had claimed to hold NSPCA inspector training, South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) registration, and UNISA qualifications – all of which were later found to be falsified.
Routine verification with the National Council of SPCAs revealed that Du Preez had never completed inspector training, that his NSPCA certificate was fraudulent, and that the signatures on the document were forged.
Police arrested him in September 2025 after additional forged documents surfaced during a follow-up interview.
Plea and sentence agreement
On 27 October 2025, Du Preez entered a plea and sentence agreement under section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act, facing 32 counts – including fraud, forgery, contraventions of the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, and impersonation under the SPCA Act.
The court handed down concurrent sentences, resulting in an effective one-year imprisonment and a suspended fine.
Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse, who led the investigation, warned that such impersonations pose a serious threat to animal welfare and public trust.
“This case highlights the importance of thorough vetting and verification processes,” Pieterse said.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA reiterated that its statutory powers of search, seizure, and arrest must remain strictly in the hands of legitimate, trained inspectors to safeguard both animals and communities.
