Police have opened an inquest docket following the death of three-year-old Keketso Saule who was mauled to death by two pitbulls at Hennenman in the Free State. The incident happened in the neighbour’s yard.
Police have taken the neighbour away for his own safety after angry community members gathered outside his house demanding answers. The dogs have also been removed.
Police Spokesperson Mahlomola Kareli, “The 3-year-old toddler was certified dead at the scene with severe injuries on the head. The dog was removed by its owner and its locked away at a place known by the police. Public order police are deployed to the area as the situation is tense.”
The dog allegedly escaped its enclosure and jumped over the fence. It then attacked the child who was playing alone, biting him severely on the neck and chest. The boy was declared dead on the scene.
Trauma, pain and suffering are some of the things that the parents can claim from the pitbull owners. They will also have to prove that when the incident happened the victim was in his rightful place.
According to Legal expert Machini Motloung, the parents also need to show there was no provocation of the dog. Motloung says should parents sue there will be a factual inquiry where the owners will explain what care they took to ensure that the dog does not escape and whether warning signs were visible in their yard.
“The parents observed this horrific incident, and, in this instance, they can claim both special and general damages. With special damages – we talk of damages that can be quantified, easily quantified, such as your funeral expenses, they can claim that. And in terms of general damages – they can because they observe this incident, they are able to claim nervous and emotional shock and trauma.”
Free State police on Sunday said a pit bull had to be shot dead after it mauled to death an eight-year-old boy at his home in Vista Park, Bloemfontein.
It is alleged the dog escaped from its enclosure and jumped over the fence into the neighbour's premises at around 2pm on Saturday.
Police spokesperson Lt-Col Thabo Covane said the dog attacked the child, who was playing alone. It bit him severely on the neck and chest
“The police and paramedics were summoned to the scene and the boy was declared dead on the scene. The beast was put to death,” said Covane.
An inquest docket has since been opened at the Mangaung police station.
After several vicious, deadly attacks there have been mounting calls to ban the breed for domestic purposes.
Last month, an online petition calling for an end to ownership of pit bulls was launched. The Sizwe Kupelo foundation, which is behind the petition, said: "The call to ban pit bulls in South Africa comes as other countries like Russia, Finland, Denmark, the UK, Portugal, parts of Germany, parts of China, parts of Brazil and parts of Australia, among a host of countries have either banned, put restrictions on ownership of the breed or its importation."
The organisation's founder Sizwe Kupelo said: “The defence by pit bull lovers that it is how you raise the dog does not hold water. So many people, including joggers, have been attacked and killed by pit bulls.
“It is time that the South African government takes decisive steps and imposes a complete ban on the ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals. Such a move would prevent further attacks and unnecessary deaths. We cannot continue sending out messages of condolences for something that can easily be prevented.”
The petition had garnered almost 50,000 signatures by Sunday.
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