Nozipho Mthethwa who was attacked by a pit bull in Phoenix, Durban. | Tumi Pakkies/ Independent Newspapers
Durban — The attack by an unleashed pit bull has left a 23-year-old woman, Nozipho Mthethwa, grappling with severe injuries and an uncertain future.
Mthethwa told the Daily News that she has finally been able to open a case after settling the amount due to the hospital.
However, she said she was a little afraid since she did not know the dog owner of the dog or his reputation. She wants justice.
Residing in Twickenham, Phoenix, Mthethwa was on her way to a bus stop with colleagues on Saturday, November 16, when the attack occurred in what she described as a typically quiet neighbourhood.
Catching her off-guard, the dog inflicted serious bites on her arm, leading to a cascade of medical interventions and a daunting path to justice.
The initial response from her colleagues proved timely, as they rushed her to a local clinic after the vicious assault. Subsequently, Mthethwa was admitted to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where medical professionals delivered distressing news: she had sustained a torn tendon, and in the worst-case scenario, amputation of her arm could be necessary. After a week of treatment, including further evaluations at Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital, her recovery journey remains fraught with challenges.
The emotional and financial toll of this traumatic experience has prompted the Mthethwa family to consider legal action against the dog’s owner.
However, they have encountered bureaucratic hurdles that have delayed their efforts to file a police report. Central to their plight is the urgent requirement for a J88 form, which lists Mthethwa’s injuries and is crucial for initiating a police investigation.
With the public hospital refusing to issue the document, citing unpaid medical fees — fees that Mthethwa's mother was unaware of prior to admission — the family feels trapped in a frustrating cycle.
Despite the complexity of the situation, a police officer initially stepped in to assist, reaching out to the hospital in hopes of obtaining the needed documentation. Yet the obligation to cover Mthethwa’s treatment costs has complicated the matter further, leaving the family feeling increasingly despondent. Compounding their distress, the dog’s owner has reportedly offered no financial or emotional support since the attack, a fact that has left Mthethwa’s family deeply disillusioned.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Colonel Robert Netshiunda said police in Phoenix are investigating a case of contravention of Animal Amendment Act following the incident in which a 23-year-old woman was allegedly attacked by a dog.
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