A 59-YEAR-OLD farmworker has died after he was bitten by a black mamba, one of the most venomous snakes in the world.
The victim's family say Solomon Khoza was asleep in his yard at KaMdladla village, south of Malalane, when he was woken up by restless chickens in a run nearby.
His wife Catherine said: "He went to investigate and saw a huge snake. It had already killed two chickens.
"He attacked the snake with a stick and seemed to have stayed out of harm's way.,
"I saw him jumping to the side once and when I asked if he had been bitten he said no."
Khoza complained of feeling feverish minutes after having killed the snake.
"He asked to be doused with water but showed no sign of recovery and I decided to sound the alarm. Neighbours streamed in but my husband, foaming at the mouth, had passed on."
Police have warned the villagers to avoid confrontations with snakes.