Mr Andrey Botha (50) was rushed to hospital on February 7.
According to Mr Botha, he was inside his house watching television when he heard a commotion outside.
He and his mother went to investigate. They found his nephew, brother and the neighbour’s younger brother swearing at each other.
Mr Botha asked what was going on and tried to stop the fighting.
The neighbour’s brother then allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Mr Botha.
“My sister’s son and the neighbour’s brother were swearing and hitting each other with a stick. I went there to try and stop the fight and that is when I was stabbed. When I felt the blood, I tried to run back to the house because I realised I was bleeding too much,” said Mr Botha.
But before he could get inside, his neighbour allegedly released his dog, which then attacked Mr Botha.
“I tried to punch the dog, so that it could let go, but it didn’t. By that time, my sister and my brother were trying to get the dog off me. The dog’s owner was standing there doing nothing,” said Mr Botha.
Mrs Botha, Andrey’s mother, said the dog attack was a traumatic experience for her family.
She said Andrey was injured in three attacks last year.
“What hurts me the most is that even when the dog was tearing my son apart, the neighbour did nothing, he just stood there,” she said.
According to Mrs Botha, this is not the first such incident with their neighbours.
She added that they have had to deal with the neighbour’s behaviour for some time.
“I was sorting my laundry. When I came in, Andrey asked me what was going on outside. I dropped the washing and went outside. We saw my other son, Mark together with my grandchild, fighting with my neighbour and his brother. Andrey asked the neighbours to stop the commotion because the whole street was watching,” she said.
“My neighbour has a younger brother who moved in towards the end of last year. He comes from Durban and since he moved here, he has been a trouble-maker. He pulled out a butcher’s knife and stabbed Andrey. We just saw blood. The neighbour then opened the gate and set his dog upon Andrey.
Andrey ran towards my gate. My son Mark, and my two grandchildren, each retrieved a knobkierrie and struck the dog but it would not let go. All this happened while the dog’s owner was standing there watching,” Mrs Botha added.
Mrs Botha said she begged the owner to get his dog off Andrey, but he simply swore at her.
“I said please take your dog, can’t you see he is killing my son? He just stood there,” said Mrs Botha.
Andrey’s sister-in-law called an ambulance, which arrived within five minutes. Andrey was rushed to hospital.
He is currently undergoing treatment at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, and will be in and out while receiving various treatments.
Mrs Botha said they opened a case of attempted murder at the Jeppe SAPS and the police visited her house on Friday, February 13, to take a statement from Mr Botha.
Mr Botha returned to hospital on February 17 to undergo more surgery to his arms.
The Jeppe SAPS spokesperson confirmed that a case was opened at the police station and that investigations are continuing.
Mr Botha said doctors may have to remove skin from another part of his body to repair the wounds to his arms.
