A resident in the upmarket Fernkloof apartment block in Port Elizabeth's Park Drive faces animal cruelty charges after he was filmed killing a peacock with a spade this week.

The video — which HeraldLIVE has seen but has decided not to post due to its graphic nature — shows Joe Oosthuizen, 63, hitting the peacock repeatedly with the spade and then finally, ignoring shocked and protesting onlookers , placing the sharp edge against the prone bird’s neck and pressing down with his foot, apparently in an effort to decapitate it.  ..