The long-standing debate over the banning of pit bulls in South Africa has taken centre stage once again after a worker, Moeletsi Sedi, 40, from Rustenburg, was mauled to death at his workplace, prompting a call for immediate police action.
Cosatu has added its voice to the call made by a Rustenburg family seeking justice after one of their loved ones was mauled to death by the pit bulls while at his workplace on April 6.
Cosatu general secretary Solly Phetoe on Monday said the organisation was demanding urgent action by police and for the owner of the dogs to be held accountable for this tragic death.
Phetoe said that the owner of the dogs ought to compensate Sedi’s family for this loss, and should also be charged with criminal negligence and culpable homicide.
“Action needs to be taken with regards to pit bulls. All too often the nation has been traumatised by the horrific mauling and killing of workers by pit bulls, a breed genetically bred and predisposed to being highly aggressive. Owners can and must also be held accountable.
“We need to come to a decision where the breeding of this dog is banned; existing pit bulls are spayed and future sales and ownership prohibited. We cannot continue to sit idly by while each year to witness workers and children subjected to these violent deaths,” Phetoe added.
The call for the banning of the breed came into the spotlight in 2022, after the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation urged the government to look into the banning of the dog following the death of a 10-year-old in Gelvandale, Gqeberha.
The foundation launched a petition on the Change.org website which currently has 139 792 signatures, and called on the government to join countries like Russia, Finland, Denmark, the UK, Portugal, parts of Germany, China, Brazil and Australia to ban or consider restrictions on ownership of the breed or its importation.
“It is time that the 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,” read the online petition.
After a meeting in April last year with the government to hand over the petition, the foundation was informed by Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza that the government was concerned over the loss of lives and injuries caused by pit bulls, and gave assurances on a solution. But to date there has been no action.
North West police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh said: “Police were called to a scene where Sedi was found lying on the ground.
“He had visible bite marks on his body and was declared dead on the scene.
“The owner of the two pit bulls was not home during the incident.”
Cape Times