WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE BELOW.
Durban — A 23-year-old woman is facing a life-altering prognosis following a brutal encounter with a pit bull in Phoenix on Saturday.
Nozipho Mthethwa, a mother of two, was walking to a bus stop in Westham when the dog allegedly attacked her. Nozipho, a sewing factory worker, was bitten on her arm and was walking with her colleagues at the time and described the area as a quiet neighbourhood.
Her colleagues rushed her to the nearby Phoenix Unit 10 clinic.
Her mother Zandile Mthethwa said that when she arrived at the clinic, seeing Nozipho’s medical condition, she feared the worst.
“Her hand was in such bad shape that they promptly transferred her to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital. Nozipho had sustained severe injuries including a torn tendon, and she was referred to Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital for further evaluation. The outcome was harrowing. Doctors said she would require an amputation of her arm,” Mthethwa said.
“I watched her skin change colour to green in less than four days,” Mthethwa added.
Mthethwa was now concerned about her daughter’s future employment prospects.
“She uses her hand for work. I am afraid she will not be able to support us. I rely on her to buy groceries.”
Mthethwa is also furious that the owner of the dog had not made attempts to contact her or Nozipho. According to Mthethwa the owner of the dog was present when the incident happened.
The Mthethwa family is contemplating pursuing a criminal complaint at the Phoenix SAPS.
This tragic event has reignited discussions about the responsibilities of dog owners in residential areas. Andile Jali, the chairperson of the eThekwini Neighbourhood Watch, voiced concern over the incident.
“It is saddening. We must hold pet owners accountable for failing to secure their dogs,” Jali said.
He called for authorities to investigate and enforce stricter regulations on dog ownership.
“If the attack was racially motivated as the community speculated, would the owner be willing to see something like this happen to their own children?” Jali questioned, advocating for the most stringent consequences if negligence is proven.
In a disturbing parallel incident, a seven-year-old boy sustained serious leg injuries after being attacked by a Saint Bernard in Drift, KZN, earlier in the week.
The child was found bleeding and in considerable pain when private security company, Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) responded to the scene.
Rusa said that the dog involved had fled before help arrived, making it difficult to trace the owners.
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Daily News