An eight-year-old boy has been mauled to death by a pit bull while playing at his home in Vista Park near Bloemfontein.
It is alleged the dog escaped from its enclosure and jumped over the fence into the neighbour’s premises around 2pm on Saturday.
According to police reports, the pit bull that killed grade 3 pupil Olebogeng Mosime, from Roseview Primary, had allegedly belonged to the neighbour.
It was said that the dog, which had been locked away, escaped and went over the fence into the neighbour’s yard.
Lieutenant-Colonel Thabo Covane, the police spokesperson said the pit bull attacked the child, who was playing alone. It bit him severely on the neck and chest.
“The police and paramedics were summoned to the scene and the boy was declared dead on the scene. The beast was put to death,” said Covane.
An inquest docket has since been opened at the Mangaung police station.
This is the latest killing of a child by the breed in recent months.
In September a 10-year-old was mauled to death by the family’s two pit bulls at his home in the Eastern Cape.
After several vicious, deadly attacks there have been mounting calls to ban the breed for domestic purposes.
Last month, an online petition calling for an end to ownership of pit bulls was launched.
The Sizwe Kupelo foundation, which is behind the petition said: “The call to ban pit bulls in South Africa comes as other countries like Russia, Finland, Denmark, the UK, Portugal, parts of Germany, parts of China, parts of Brazil and parts of Australia, among a host of countries have either banned, or put restrictions on ownership of the breed or its importation.”
Sizwe Kupelo, the organisation’s founder said: “The defence by pit bull lovers that it is how you raise the dog does not hold water. So many people, including joggers, have been attacked and killed by pit bulls.
“It is time the South African government takes decisive steps and imposes a complete ban on the ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals. Such a move would prevent further attacks and unnecessary deaths. We cannot continue sending out messages of condolences for something that can easily be prevented.”
The petition had gathered 50,000 signatures by Sunday.
Source: Jacaranda FM, The South African, Times Live, The Citizen, image from Twitter: @LebohangBokako