After Puppy-Selling Incident in Green Point
CCN NewsEditor – George April
CAPE TOWN: – The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has expressed outrage after the escape of Mr Ncubeko Hloni, widely known as the “Dunoon puppy seller,” from police custody on Saturday, 29 November 2025.
Hloni had been arrested earlier the same day after attempting to sell puppies along Main Road in Green Point. Concerned members of the public intervened when they noticed one of the puppies in his possession appeared lethargic and severely unwell. When Hloni attempted to flee, a bystander managed to apprehend him before Green Point CID officers arrived and detained him.
A second puppy was later discovered hidden inside Hloni’s backpack, zipped closed with no ventilation. This animal, also weak and in poor condition, was immediately taken – along with the first puppy – to a private veterinarian by a compassionate member of the public. Both puppies have since received medical care and are now safe under the protection of the SPCA.
Hloni was transported to Sea Point SAPS, where SPCA Inspectors were preparing to lay formal criminal charges. While being held in the station’s cells, Hloni requested to use the bathroom. A SAPS member escorted him but left him alone inside, despite the bathroom having a small, unsecured window with no burglar bars. Hloni escaped through the window and fled the station.
Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse condemned the negligence.
“I am deeply disappointed and frankly stunned by the sheer carelessness displayed by SAPS in this incident. How does one leave a suspect alone in a bathroom with no burglar bars? What if this was a murderer? We have been informed that this is the second escape from the same station in the past week – it is completely unacceptable.”
Hloni is well-known for evading authorities. He has an ongoing animal cruelty case at Table View SAPS, where he also vanished shortly after being released on bail. In 2024, he outran Law Enforcement officers during a sting operation aimed at detaining him.
The pending Table View case stems from a shocking incident in which Hloni tied a rope around a rabbit’s neck, and swung the animal into the air during peak-hour traffic on Malibongwe Drive in Dunoon.
An act that triggered national outrage.
Although he was eventually traced and arrested by the SPCA, the case stalled when he absconded after receiving bail.
(Original SPCA report: escape.co.za/inspectorate-news/notorious-du-noon-animal-hawker-nabbed/)
The SPCA has now offered a R5 000 reward for information that leads to Hloni’s arrest and successful prosecution. Anyone with information is urged to contact the SPCA Inspectorate on 021 700 4158/9 or 083 326 1604.
#SPCA #CapeOfGoodHopeSPCA #AnimalCruelty #PuppyProtection #JusticeForAnimals #SAPS #GreenPoint #FugitiveAlert #StopAnimalAbuse
