A five-year-old Limpopo learner escaped death by a whisker after being mauled by a ferocious pitbull next to the schoolyard.
During a bloodcurdling incident that happened at Ntwane village near Denilton in Ga-Sekhukhune on August 7, Thapelo Masehla went to a foreign-owned tuck shop a few metres from his school gate to buy snacks.
While in the shop yard, a pitbull attacked Ntwane Primary School’s grade R learner.
The dog bit Masehla’s inner thighs during the attack, just a few centimetres away from his genital area.
He was admitted to Groblersdal Hospital for the entire week due to the severity of his wounds before being released as an outpatient.
Masehla has been in the care of his paternal family since his mother abandoned him shortly after birth.
Shop guarded by vicious dogs
The shop is guarded by scary canines, which, despite being leashed, are free to roam around loosely where they can reach customers through a lengthy grounded wire.
The vicious dog launched its attack on the vulnerable boys, while other threatening dogs were barking wildly as the boys were pinned down and crying for help.
The shop owner, who is only known as “Ras” in the close-knit village, was busy serving customers without checking the close-circuit television that monitors the inside and outside precinct of the shop.
Masehla was eventually rescued from the domestic animal after his schoolmates alerted the shopkeeper of the ongoing incident.
Despite the excruciating wounds and profuse bleeding, the dog owner opted for a public hospital, reportedly saying he could not afford exorbitant fees at private facilities.
Gentlemen’s agreement
The case was not reported to the police as there was a “gentlemen’s agreement” between the owner of the dogs and the victim’s father, Chupu Mathabatha.
The father, who said he is the cousin of former Limpopo premier Stan Chupu Mathabatha, said there was no need to open a case with the police because the owner was helping with the transport of the patient.
Sunday World understands that the victim’s family is pleased with the meagre transport assistance they receive from the businessman.
Mathabatha said: “The shop owner and I have reached an agreement that he will assist us in the form of transport whenever we want to take the child for a check-up.
“There was no need to open a case because he [the shopkeeper] is helping.”
The child’s aunt, Mapula Mathebe, said that despite the throbbing wounds, they were relieved that the boy had survived the attack.
R2 000 compensation
“We are pleased that the dogs did not grab him by his neck. He could have died,” said Mathebe.
“He has survived severe wounds on his legs, and we are praying that this does not result in a permanent disability.
“At the moment, he is limping painfully, but there is hope that he will soon heal. The boy is receiving treatment at the hospital.”
Neither Mathabatha nor Mathebe could confirm allegations that the family received R2 000 as compensation.
Fight for justice
Meanwhile, Seun Mogotsi, a councillor in the Sekhukhune district municipality and leader of the Bolshevik Party, has vowed to fight for justice.
“We are going to ensure that these dogs are removed from our communities,” said Mogotsi.
“There is no way we will allow these foreigners to get away so freely without any retribution. These dogs cannot be kept in close proximity to schoolchildren.
“There are allegations that the boy provoked the dogs, but that raises serious suspicions.
“The first step is to call the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals and also request Home Affairs officials to probe whether this foreigner is in the country legally.
“As for allegations of paltry compensation, it was not done in the best interest of the victim.”
Mesebjane Kgafe, the spokesperson for the provincial department of education, said the department will liaise with the relevant district where the incident took place.
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