A five-year-old boy was mauled to death by two pit bulls when he went looking for his ball in a neighbour’s yard.
The horrific attack took place in Gugulethu NY50 on Sunday afternoon.
The boy, Melani Keke, was playing with his 10-year-old sister when their rugby ball landed in the yard next door.
Melani got on the adjoining wall and peeked over to look for the ball, but seeing that it was out of his reach he turned back.
However, one of the dogs saw him, jumped and bit him on the neck and then dragged him into the yard where he was mauled to death.
Traumatised father Thando August, 39, says: “He did not enter the yard, but was just looking for the ball.
“When he turned back to walk to his sister, the dog caught him by the neck and dragged him inside. A second dog joined in on the attack, people tried saving him, but the dogs did not let go.”
Thando was advised not to look at his son’s dead body as he was badly bitten by the dogs.
“My brother went to look at the body, Melani’s mother saw the whole incident because she was the first one to be called while the dogs were biting him.
“The guy who feeds the dogs tried using sticks to remove the dogs, but nothing could move them. Even the police were scared to load them in the van because they are aggressive.”
The dogs were taken away by Law Enforcement officers.
Their owner was not at home when the Daily Voice visited the scene on Monday.
Thando says the sickening ordeal was a big tragedy: “We are not blaming the owner, there is a hard cement wall which my son used to go up so he can have a view of the ball.
“It was when he turned around when the attack happened.
“I am hurting because I lost a son I dearly loved.”
He said the family was planning to meet with the owner of the dogs to discuss the incident.
SAPS’ Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said cops were investigating the incident.
“A death inquest case has been opened for investigation by Gugulethu police after a five-year-old boy died at NY50 after he was attacked by two dogs inside the yard while he was fetching a ball.”