The woman who was mauled by three Pit bulls last week is out of ICU and can communicate with her daughter. She is still in a serious condition and will need several surgeries to repair the damage to her face. The dogs ripped off her top lip, parts of her nose and ears. A woman from Johannesburg, Alma McGill, who read about the attack, was so shocked that she started a funding initiative to support Dipuo Selina Kokolosi (47) and her family during her recovery. By Thursday morning, the Back a buddy campaign she started, had raised R 36 391. Any donations can be made by following this link
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/dupuo-kokolisi
On Tuesday, 25 January, Dipuo was attacked by three of her employer’s Pit bulls in Kock Street. According to Mr Modiri Mompati, the spokesperson for Potchefstroom Hospital, Dipuo was in a critical condition when she came to Potchefstroom Hospital. She was immediately transferred to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg. According to Patricia Modise, Dipuo’s daughter, who stays in Bloemhof to do seasonal farming work, neither of her children, aged 14 and 12, knew why their grandmother did not return home from work. The children live with their grandmother. “Luckily, their neighbour provided supper for them on Tuesday,” she said. Modise arrived the following day and simply told the children that their grandmother was sick and was in the hospital. Patricia received a call from the neighbour of Dipuo’s employers on the day of the attack, telling her about the attack. “She was in tears when she told me what had happened,” Modise said. On the day of the attack, Dipuo apparently went outside to hang the washing when the three dogs attacked her. The neighbours heard her frantic screams. When they investigated, they found the dogs on top of her. One of the neighbours, Ziggy Abdullah, was forced to shoot the dogs to save Dipuo’s life. Patricia says the neighbour, Mickey Abdullah, has been very supportive. “She has been sending me transport money to get to Potchefstroom and is still taking care of me and my kids while my mother is in the hospital. It is very difficult to see my mom in this condition and I cannot do anything about it. I am trying to be strong for my two kids,” concluded Patricia. According to Netwerk24, the owner of the three dogs released a statement by way of her lawyers. The statement says the owner of the dogs is heartbroken and worried about Kokolosi and her children. It adds that the owner of the animals, who is also Dipuo’s employer, has visited her in the hospital numerous times. “She is doing everything in her power to support Kokolosi’s dependants,” the statement reads. According to Colonel Adele Myburgh, the police spokesperson, the case is under investigation. No arrests have been made at this stage.
