EVANDER – Fangs ripping into his arms, his feet, his genitals and then the excruciating pain that followed… these are things of which nightmares are made.
Yet this nightmare regularly creeps up on Mr Professor Juwaki (30) since he survived a dog attack in Evander on Wednesday, 26 June.
Being mauled was the last thing on his mind when this young father left his small dwelling in Kelvin Street which he shares with his wife and 18-month-old daughter, to go to the nearby shop.
He made it only halfway up the street, when the animal stormed out of a yard with an open gate, bit into his hands and legs until he fell, and then went for the throat.
When Mr Juwaki, a contract worker from Zimbabwe, warded off the canine’s teeth from his neck, the dog pounced on his crotch and mauled his genitals. Men travelling in Yale Street at about 6pm, saw the attack as they passed Kelvin Street.
They initially tried to push the dog away with the car, but to no avail. They then jumped out of the car, screamed and hurled stones at the dog, eventually scaring it off.
Mr Juwaki said his saviours helped him into the car and rushed him to the Evander Hospital.
The same dog attacked a young woman within minutes after Mr Juwaki was taken to hospital.
Ms Rethabile Marumo (22) who was visiting her parents in Kelvin Street for the holiday, was grabbed from behind, the dog’s teeth ripping into the flesh on her back.
“I had in earphones and was oblivious to the dog running up to me. The next thing I knew, was this pain and a dog trying to pull me down.”
Ms Marumo fought off the animal with her fists, stones and “anything I could get my hands on.”
“At least my injuries are not as severe and are healing well,” she said as she pulled up the back of her T-shirt to reveal the scab-covered lesions in her skin.
Ms Alice Rabson, wife of Mr Juwaki, kept his torn, bloodied clothes.
“It is evidence. Just look at what my husband had to endure!”
The couple rents an outside room in Kelvin Street. Ms Rabson was preparing dinner when her husband was attacked.
“I did not even hear him scream. The first time I heard about the incident, was when the hospital contacted me.”
According to Ms Rabson, the doctor in the emergency room was efficient and explained to her that Mr Juwaki urgently needed an operation.
“He said the damage to my husband’s genitals was extensive, but he was unable to tell us if it would be permanent.”
Mr Juwaki might soon be transferred to another hospital. The dog that has the appearance of a pitbull, was kept in the yard of a government employee who allegedly denies being its owner.
“We saw her son regularly walking the dog. The dog lived in their yard. How can it not be their dog?” Ms Robson and Ms Marumo asked in unison.
“It upsets us even more that no who lives there, has even asked us how Professor is doing.”
Ms Maruma said her parents tried to speak to the home owner, but were chased away.
The home owner could not be reached at time of going to press.
Rumours that the dog also bit another man and two children that day, could not be confirmed. The dog has been removed from the yard and is now in the care of the SPCA pending the police investigation.
Mr Nick Strydom, chairman of the SPCA, said the animal appeared agitated from a heavy tight fitting chain around its neck when it arrived at the SPCA.
