Latest news with #Zazu
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
Video: Zippy or Zazu? Parrot custody dispute plays out in court
A bitter legal battle is unfolding over the custody of an African grey parrot being claimed by two passionate owners. Lowvelder reports that in one corner is prominent local lawyer Obert Ntuli, who insists the bird is his beloved 'Zippy'. In the other, Crystle Pachos, equally adamant that the feathered companion is her cherished boy, 'Zazu'. Ntuli won the latest round in the Mpumalanga High Court on July 22, when Pachos' urgent application to stop the enforcement of a March 2025 court order to hand over the parrot was dismissed due to lack of urgency. The conflict began on February 21, 2020, when Steiltes resident Pachos reported her bird missing. She launched a relentless social media campaign to recover Zazu, offering a R1 000 reward and posting almost daily pleas for assistance. Her search even involved an animal communicator and well-known tracker, Jaco Klopper, the owner of South African Bush Warrior Association, who confirmed his involvement to Lowvelder – but it was all in vain. She described Zazu as a 'playful bird with mood swings', emphasising their bond. 'Zazu will always stay my birdie boy. No matter what happens, he will always have a piece of my heart with him.' Hope was fading, but 14 months later, a breakthrough came. On May 10, 2021, a woman from Valencia in Mbombela contacted Pachos, claiming her father had received an African grey from a friend. After checking missing pet listings on local Facebook groups, she believed it might be Zazu. Pachos visited on May 12 and, according to an affidavit from the woman – later used in court – the bird 'showed immediate affection' toward her. A reunion video was shared online and an article published in Lowvelder celebrated Zazu's return. Pachos also located Garth Richardson, who had briefly possessed the bird. In a sworn statement, Richardson claimed to have found the parrot in his garden around May 5, 2021, and attempted to locate the rightful owner. On May 13, Pachos took Zazu to the vet to be microchipped. The same day, Ntuli's daughter posted that one of their African greys had gone missing two days prior. The bird, she said, had a foot band and was known to greet Ntuli in their home language. Her post featured videos of three African greys living with the family's toy pom dogs. Soon, Pachos and Ntuli started engaging in a tense WhatsApp exchange, each adamant the parrot was theirs. 'We are crying a river of tears,' Ntuli wrote. Pachos responded: 'It's not your bird. I hope you find yours.' With both living in the same area of Steiltes, the feud intensified. Their arguments grew increasingly hostile, with threats and insults flying back and forth. By early 2023, their communication cooled until Ntuli announced on March 2 that it was time to go to court. Court processes start Ntuli first turned to the Small Claims Court in July 2023, but the case was deemed too complex for its jurisdiction. On July 23, the bird was taken to Van Wijk Street Veterinary Hospital for a behavioural assessment by Dr Donnie Engelbrecht to determine its reaction to both parties. According to Engelbrecht's report, the bird reportedly responded poorly to Ntuli, retreating and becoming defensive. With Pachos, it 'displayed enthusiastic greeting behaviour', including somersaults, and showed strong willingness to interact with her. However, Engelbrecht concluded that interaction alone could not determine ownership. 'Bias and time lapsed skew behavioural observation,' he noted. In October 2024, the case was heard in the Mbombela District Court. Pachos' late filing meant it was heard unopposed. More controversy followed. Evidence presented by Ntuli showed Pachos had misrepresented the date the bird was microchipped. A vet's affidavit confirmed the microchipping took place in 2021, not 2019 as she had claimed. Further confusion concerned the bird's leg ring. Ntuli claimed the number on the bird's ring had been filed off. The vet said their records did not reflect whether the bird had a band, as recording leg band details was not standard practice unless explicitly requested by the owner. Pachos admitted to falsifying the microchip date, stating in an affidavit that continuous harassment led her to make 'an irrational error in judgment to create proof of ownership'. She apologised to both Ntuli and the vet, stating: 'My dreadful conduct does not detract from the fact that Zazu affectionately responds to me and not to Ntuli.' She denied tampering with the leg ring and submitted evidence from the bird's breeder, Martin Belo, who confirmed he sold Zazu to her in 2019 and that the ring matched his identification style. In March 2025, judgment was delivered in Ntuli's favour and the court ordered that the bird be returned to him. The court clarified it was not tasked with establishing true ownership, as this was beyond its jurisdiction. On March 10, Pachos filed a notice of appeal, arguing that the court erred by not addressing ownership more directly. She contended the case should have been treated as rei vindicatio (a property ownership claim), where the rightful owner, the existence of the property, and unlawful possession by the other party are central. Ntuli has since filed a cross-appeal and a court date has been set for October 2025. An urgent application on July 22, in the Mpumalanga High Court to halt the return of the bird, was not successful as urgency could not be established – and on July 25, Pachos had to hand Zazu over to Ntuli. 'I'm delighted to have Zippy back,' Ntuli told Lowvelder, proudly showing the bird in an open enclosure with two other African greys and several toy pom dogs. 'If it wasn't my bird, I wouldn't have taken it. Look how happy he is.' He added that all his parrots came from Montana Nursery. Pachos, however, remains heartbroken. 'I cannot accept the loss of Zazu,' she said. Her next legal step remains undetermined. The conclusion of Engelbrecht's report stands out: 'The only constructive recommendation would be to ultimately determine the best candidate for the bird's welfare.' Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. 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The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
WATCH: Polly-tics in Mbombela courtroom
A bitter legal battle is unfolding over the custody of an African Grey parrot being claimed by two passionate owners. In one corner: Prominent local lawyer Obert Ntuli, who insists the bird is his beloved 'Zippy'. In the other, Crystle Pachos, equally adamant that the feathered companion is her cherished boy, 'Zazu'. Ntuli won the latest round in the Mpumalanga High Court on July 22, when Pachos' urgent application to stop the enforcement of a March 2025 court order to hand over the parrot was dismissed due to lack of urgency. The conflict began on February 21, 2020, when Steiltes resident Pachos reported her bird missing. She launched a relentless social media campaign to recover Zazu, offering a R1 000 reward, and posting almost daily pleas for assistance. Her search even involved an animal communicator and well-known tracker, Jaco Klopper, the owner of South African Bush Warrior Association, who confirmed his involvement to Lowvelder – but it was all in vain. She described Zazu as a ''playful bird with mood swings', emphasising their bond. 'Zazu will always stay my birdie boy. No matter what happens, he will always have a piece of my heart with him.' Hope was fading, but 14 months later, a breakthrough came. On May 10, 2021, a woman from Valencia in Mbombela contacted Pachos, claiming her father had received an African grey from a friend. After checking missing pet listings on local Facebook groups, she believed it might be Zazu. Pachos visited on May 12, and, according to an affidavit from the woman, which was later used in court, the bird 'showed immediate affection' toward her. A reunion video was shared online and an article published in Lowvelder celebrated Zazu's return. ALSO READ: Zazu back home after more than a year Pachos also located Garth Richardson, who had briefly possessed the bird. In a sworn statement from Richardson, he claims to have found the parrot in his garden around May 5, 2021, and attempted to locate the rightful owner. On May 13, Pachos took Zazu to the vet to be microchipped. The same day, Ntuli's daughter posted that one of their African greys had gone missing two days prior. The bird, she said, had a foot band and was known to greet Ntuli in their home language. Her post featured videos of three African greys living with the family's toy pom dogs. Soon, Pachos and Obert Ntuli started engaging in a tense WhatsApp exchange, each adamant the parrot was theirs. 'We are crying a river of tears,' Ntuli wrote. Pachos responded: 'It's not your bird. I hope you find yours.' With both living in the same area of Steiltes, the feud intensified. Their arguments grew increasingly hostile, with threats and insults flying back and forth. By early 2023, their communication cooled down, until Ntuli announced on March 2 that it was time to go to court. Court processes start Ntuli first turned to the Small Claims Court in July 2023, but the case was deemed too complex for the court's jurisdiction. On July 23, the bird was taken to Van Wijk Street Veterinary Hospital for a behavioural assessment by Dr Donnie Engelbrecht to determine its reaction to both parties. According to a report from Engelbrecht, the bird reportedly responded poorly to Ntuli, retreating and becoming defensive. With Pachos, it 'displayed enthusiastic greeting behaviour', including somersaults and showed strong willingness to interact with her. However, Engelbrecht concluded that interaction alone could not determine ownership. 'Bias and time lapsed skew behavioural observation,' he noted. In October 2024, the case was heard in the Mbombela District Court. Pachos' late filing meant it was heard unopposed. More controversy followed. Evidence presented by Ntuli showed Pachos had misrepresented the date the bird was microchipped. A vet's affidavit confirmed the microchipping took place in 2021, not 2019 as she had claimed. Further confusion concerned the bird's leg ring. Ntuli claimed the number on the bird's ring had been filed off. The vet said their records did not reflect whether the bird had a band, as recording the details of leg bands wasn't standard practice unless explicitly requested by the owner. Pachos admitted to falsifying the microchip date, stating in an affidavit that continuous harassment led her to make 'an irrational error in judgment to create proof of ownership'. She apologised to both Ntuli and the vet, stating: 'My dreadful conduct does not detract from the fact that Zazu affectionately responds to me and not to Ntuli.' She denied tampering with the leg ring and submitted evidence from the bird's breeder, Martin Belo, who confirmed he sold Zazu to her in 2019 and that the ring matched his identification style. In March 2025, judgment was delivered in Ntuli's favour and the court ordered that the bird be returned to him. Importantly, the court clarified it was not tasked with establishing true ownership, as this was beyond its jurisdiction. On March 10, Pachos filed a notice of appeal, arguing that the court erred by not addressing ownership more directly. She contended the case should have been treated as rei vindicatio (a property ownership claim), where the rightful owner, the existence of the property, and unlawful possession by the other party are central. Ntuli has since filed a cross-appeal and a court date has been set for October 2025. An urgent application on July 22, 2025, in the Mpumalanga High Court to halt the return of the bird was not successful as urgency could not be established – and on July 25, Pachos had to hand Zazu over to Ntuli. 'I'm delighted to have Zippy back,' Ntuli told Lowvelder, proudly showing the bird in an open enclosure with two other African greys and several toy pom dogs. 'If it wasn't my bird, I wouldn't have taken it. Look how happy he is.' He added that all his parrots came from Montana Nursery. Pachos, however, remains heartbroken. 'I cannot accept the loss of Zazu,' she said. Her next legal step remains undetermined. The conclusion of Engelbrecht's report stands out: 'The only constructive recommendation would be to ultimately determine the best candidate for the bird's welfare.'
CTV News
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Behind the scenes of Disney's The Lion King in Edmonton
Disney's The Lion King uses around 230 puppets and puppet replacements in their show tours. That's one and a half semi-trucks full of puppets. July 16, 2025. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton) A classic Disney film turned stage production is well underway in Edmonton, and cast and crew are inviting audiences to bask in the mechanics of the magic. The Lion King performances at the Northern Alberta Jubilee auditorium began last Wednesday and run eight times a week through July 27. Part of its charm is the vast array of detailed puppets on stage that help bring the show to life. The show is designed in a way where it's often visible to the audience who's pulling the levers. Drew Hirshfield Drew Hirshfield plays Zazu on stage, which he said requires a lot of shoulder strength. July 16, 2025. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton) Drew Hirshfield is the man behind the puppet of Zazu, the show's uptight hornbill who often flanks King Mufasa and later Simba. He appears on stage dressed in a blue wool suit with a painted blue and white face while he operates Zazu's puppet with his hands. 'That's sort of the magic of this theatrical event,' Hirshfield said. 'There's me, the human actor, but then there's also this amazing puppet that clearly represents a bird, and then the two of us together create this dual event.' His right thumb, for example, articulates movement of Zazu's eyelids. His left hand supports the body and wings so Zazu can 'fly through the Pride Lands as needed.' Hirshfield credits people like puppet supervisor for Broadway Across Canada, Michael Reilly, for making the artistry a reality. 'They maintain the intricacies of this puppet and many more … we couldn't tell the story without them,' he said. Michael Reilly Michael Reilly backstage with the masks and puppets he cares for on July 16, 2025. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton) Reilly and his team travel with 17 semi-trucks. One and a half of those trucks, he said, are filled with the 230 puppets and puppet replacements needed to make the show go on. 'We have everything from as small as a mouse to as big as a full size elephant,' he said. The puppets were designed and created by Julie Taymor and Michael Curry. While they may look like wood, they're really carbon fiber. Reilly said a lot of trial and error went into ensuring the puppets were operable by actors with as few incidents as possible. Part of Reilly's job is also to keep the puppets prepped and ready to go, even during the normal bangs and scrapes of live showtime. 'If you're doing your job well, no one notices,' he said. He said when there is a mistake, though, the audience tends to laugh with the actors, not at them. Cheetah - The Lion King Reilly credits the actors who operate intricate puppet designs that make the show what it is. July 16, 2025. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton) Reilly, in turn, credits the actors, singers and dancers who bring the show to life. 'Otherwise, [the puppets] just sit here and look very pretty on a table,' he said. The production is North America's longest-running and most-attended Broadway tour with more than 10,000 performances in over 90 cities. Tickets are still available on the Broadway Across Canada website or through Ticketmaster.
The Herald
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Innovate Africa: Zazu makes banking simple for Africa's SMMEs
Zazu is a new digital bank launching in South Africa with one clear goal: to make life easier for small businesses in Africa. Built by former Solaris executives Germain Bahri and Rinse Jacobs, Zazu offers more than just a bank account. It gives SMMEs access to tools such as digital company registration, invoicing, expense tracking and real-time cash flow insights — all in one place. I sat down with co-founder Germain Bahri to find out what this means for you. 'We're building a bank around the real needs of African businesses — simple, transparent and easy to use,' he told me. With more than 300 businesses already signed up during its soft launch, Zazu is positioning itself as a practical, no-nonsense alternative to traditional banking. It's a big step forward for entrepreneurs tired of red tape and outdated systems. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
22-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Innovate Africa: Zazu makes banking simple for Africa's SMMEs
Zazu is a new digital bank launching in South Africa with one clear goal: to make life easier for small businesses in Africa. Built by former Solaris executives Germain Bahri and Rinse Jacobs, Zazu offers more than just a bank account. It gives SMMEs access to tools such as digital company registration, invoicing, expense tracking and real-time cash flow insights — all in one place. I sat down with co-founder Germain Bahri to find out what this means for you. 'We're building a bank around the real needs of African businesses — simple, transparent and easy to use,' he told me. With more than 300 businesses already signed up during its soft launch, Zazu is positioning itself as a practical, no-nonsense alternative to traditional banking. It's a big step forward for entrepreneurs tired of red tape and outdated systems.
