Parkdene Primary learner and parent bitten by dog
The incident happened while the 10-year-old was waiting for his parents to fetch him and while the other parent was waiting for his two children at the school.
A normal day after school at Parkdene Primary School recently turned into a nightmare for a 10-year-old boy from the school and another parent who got mauled by a dog that lives across the school.
According to Zama Malatsi, the wife of the man who was bitten by the dog, the time was around 3.30pm when they went to the school to fetch their children.
“While we were sitting in the vehicle, we noticed that more than 20 learners were running around screaming. I then peeped out of the window to check what’s happening and I saw that they were being chased by a pit bull type of a dog.”
Zama said her husband, Tebogo, got out of the vehicle and approached the dog.
According to wife, the dog lives opposite the school and it is alleged that one of the children from that house left the gate open.
“My husband and another teacher both tried to calm the dog down. For a second it listened, but in the blink of an eye it became aggressive again. This is when one of the children was attacked.”
Tebogo said he and his wife tried to pull the dog away to help the child.
“My wife managed to take the child away from the dog, but it would keep on attacking. I kicked the dog, trying to distract it, but it came back violently and it bit the child on the thigh,” he said.
Zama said at one stage they had to put the child on top of the vehicle so that the dog won’t be able to reach.
Zama said when the dog saw that it couldn’t reach the child anymore it then came for her husband and it started attacking him.
“The dog attacked my husband, biting him on the arm and then dragging him under the vehicle. One other parent tried to help, but other bystanders were just watching as the attach occurred.”
“Luckily a metro officer came by and I rushed to help. I pleaded that he must shoot the dog because I saw that my husband was in great danger and in pain.
“The officer took about seven minutes as he was still hesitating if he should shoot or not. My husband cried out and said to the metro officer he couldn’t take it anymore. That’s when I heard a gunshot. The dog let go of my husband and it fell down,” she explained.
She immediately rushed her husband to Tambo Memorial Hospital and left him in casualty as she had to rush back to the school to fetch her children.
“When I got to the school I found the nanny and owner of the dog’s two children. I then phoned the owner who said she will be there in about three to 10 minutes, but she never arrived. The metro officer apparently went to Boksburg SAPS to report the matter,” she said.
“My husband’s right hand is still not function properly.”
Tebogo said the owner of the dog didn’t show any remorse when contacting them and apologising, but her worry was that her dog was dead.
Malatsi said the SPCA were called to the scene, but got there after the dog was shot.
The father of the 10-year-old boy who was attacked said his son was rushed to Sunward Park Hospital after the incident.
“My son is still recovering after he sustained wounds to his left leg. The first few weeks after the incident it was hard for him as he was still traumatised,” he said.
The Advertiser spoke to the owner of the dog who said that when the incident happened she wasn’t at home.
“When I heard about this I phoned my lawyer, letting him know about what happened. I was advised that the parents should go the police station and open a case, then they’ll take it from there.
“I don’t know how the dog got out because the gate was closed, we have an electrical fence. My son was not at home, it was only my daughter and the nanny who was inside the house when this incident happened,” she said.
Boksburg SAPS spokesperson Const Ntsako Ledwaba said a case was opened at the Boksburg SAPS.
Investigations are still continuing.
