Lebani “Rasta” Sirenje pays tribute to Sheba after the female tiger was euthanised on Wednesday morning.
The tiger roamed the streets of Walkerville after escaping from her enclosure over the weekend.
Speaking to TshishaLIVE, the artist said he pained Sheba before her death, but he shared the photo after the tiger got euthanised.
“I did the painting when the predator was on the loose. I decided to post it when I found out she was killed. RIP Sheba,” he told TshisaLIVE.
“It is a tribute now for Sheba. At first it was about raising awareness for the public to see or notice Sheba on the streets. I wanted to caution the public.”
“It was scary but it was in Walkerville, which is very far from where I stay. But I kept wondering if it would somehow make its way to my home still because it had been roaming. I thought it will be hunted and kept somewhere.”
Rasta says it’s dangerous keeping wild animals as pets; he also empathised with people who got hurt by Sheba’s attack.
South Africans have taken to social media to mourn and pay tribute to Sheba.
