NEWS & ANALYSIS

"Torn to shreds!" - Daily Sun

"Seven savage dogs kill kid!" - front page lead, September 4 2015

Daily Sun (September 4 2015) - WHEN people heard the barking and growling of angry dogs, they ran to help.

But there was no way they could get there in time to save the child.

IT TOOK ONLY A FEW VIOLENT SECONDS FOR THE DOGS TO SAVAGE THE BOY TO DEATH.

It appears that seven-year-old Malibongwe Moyo went too close to seven shepherd dogs who were guarding their owner’s livestock on Saturday.

It cost the young boy his life. “My heart is aching,” said Malibongwe’s father, Khumbulani Nyoni. “I cried when I saw the body of my baby mangled like that. I felt like killing someone.”

The funeral service, which took place yesterday, was held at the same place where the boy had died.  “Our culture doesn’t allow the body of a person who died in an accident to be brought into the house,” said the father.

The body was taken for burial at a cemetery in Kagiso. Khumbulani said the owner of the dogs offered to pay for the funeral and they were discussing how he would pay damages.  Residents of Kagiso ext 14, Mogale City, who had tried in vain to save Malibongwe, toldDaily Sun they called the Randfontein SPCA but when officials arrived they said they couldn’t take the dogs because they had nowhere to keep them.

The angry community then killed two of the dogs before setting them on fire.  Resident Jacky Lerapo said: “We wanted these dogs put down because they had tasted human blood.”  The owner of the dogs, Nzonzo Qineba said some of the animals were still on his property as the SPCA had not removed them.

Chris Kuch of the SPCA promised to investigate the incident. She said the owner of the dogs could face criminal charges. “Dog owners have to responsibility for their animals. People have been jailed after their animals attacked others.  “The way in which the dogs were killed also needs to be addressed,” she said.  An inquest docket was opened at Kagiso Police Station.

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The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 274 165 (Audit Bureau of Circulations 2nd Quarter 2014) and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

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