Gangstertjies kill pit bull: Stone-throwing wars in Manenberg claim the life of a dog
DEAD: A white dog can be seen lying in the road.
A female pit bull bore the brunt of the ongoing street fights between child gangs in Manenberg.
Terrified residents captured video footage of the latest stone-throwing street fight between the laaities, in which a dog was stoned to death.
A 45-year-old mother, who asked not to be named as she fears for her safety, says she rushed to the scene after being alerted to the videos.
She says: “The incident happened in Elsieskraal Road where one of the stone-throwing gangs arrived on the turf of the rivals with the pit bull.
“In the fight, the rivals got hold of the dog and stoned it to death and flung it in the air.
“I got in touch with the lady who made the video and rushed down in my car to see if I could save the animal, but the fight was still ongoing as they waited for police to arrive.
“The children had stones, knives and there was even a gun.
“When the two police vans arrived, I rushed to the dog but she was already dead. I picked her up to wrap her in a towel when a boy, who I estimate to be about 17 years old, told me it’s his dog and I informed him I am taking the animal away. I was so traumatised.”
Animal Welfare of South Africa (AWS SA) spokesperson, Allan Perrins, says along with police and Law Enforcement officers, they responded to an emergency call concerning a dog being stoned.
Perrins says: “The report indicated that the dog was being stoned, savagely beaten by new gang initiates who descended in their droves on their rivals in Elsieskraal.
“It appears as though the dog, an adult female pit bull cross, accompanied the rival gangsters to Manenberg where she bore the brunt of the vicious attack.”
He says, according to an eyewitness, the animal was ruthlessly pelted with rocks and bricks and mercilessly tossed into the air until she collapsed in the road.
Perrins adds: “The situation apparently escalated quickly and it was too dangerous for any bystanders to step in and save the dog.
“It took our team under five minutes to scramble [get to the scene], but sadly by the time they arrived the dog had succumbed to her injuries.
“As part of our evidence gathering process, we conducted an autopsy which concluded that the cause of death was multiple contusions, lacerations and a severely fractured skull.”
Perrins says the video evidence has been shared with the police in the hopes of catching the perpetrators.