Teen 'failed by police' after alleged dog attack case is struck off the roll

13 February 2017 - 13:33 By Roxanne Henderson
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A teenager‚ whose paternal family allegedly set a dog on her‚ claims she is still being taunted by her aunt and half-sister with a threatening song which says‚ “the dog must bite her‚ the dog must bite her”.

angry dog, dog attack, file photo, stock photo
angry dog, dog attack, file photo, stock photo
Image: iStock

*Sizwe‚ 17‚ found herself caught in a battle between her mother and her late father’s family over the rental of room‚ which led to the alleged attack.

Her two aunts and half-sister were arrested for the attack but the case has now been struck off the roll‚ with the police being accused of failing Sizwe with a sloppy investigation.

The three formerly accused women‚ who were out on bail‚ appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court last month.

Two of the women are Sizwe's neighbours and allegedly continue to verbally abuse her and her mother.

“They are swearing at us almost every weekend‚ telling us Sizwe is a bastard and I must tell her who her father is‚” Sizwe's mother said.

  • Relatives 'got dog to attack teenager'Close relatives of a teenage girl allegedly set a dog on her, and now threaten and taunt her by singing: "The dog must bite her, the dog must bite her." 

Sizwe's father died in 1999. Her mother has raised her‚ running a daycare and renting rooms on their property for income.

It was in August last year‚ when an alleged dispute over one of these rooms broke out‚ that Sizwe was attacked.

She was allegedly hit over her right eye with a beer bottle by her one aunt before the other women descended on her. They then allegedly set a dog on her.

“[My aunt said]‚ 'I've been waiting for you because you're disrespectful‚' and started beating me‚” Sizwe said.

The attack left Sizwe with a black eye and she was forced to undergo five weeks of rabies treatment.

Her grandfather‚ who witnessed the attack‚ told TMG Digital that the police had not taken a statement from him‚ though he was prepared to give one.

Sizwe's half-sister allegedly took his crutches from him‚ which he needs for walking‚ during the attack‚ making it impossible for him to intervene.

“I was cross and I was ashamed of what was happening‚” he said.

Sizwe's mother is furious that the case has been struck from the roll.

“The government keeps saying they are protecting their children but I don't feel they are protecting their children. Not after what happened to Sizwe‚ no. I'm so disappointed with the police.”

She said that since the matter was struck from the roll on January 26‚ to give police more time to complete the investigation‚ the investigating officer has not contacted her or any other witnesses.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters has not yet responded to a request for comment relating to the delays in the investigation.

Sizwe's mother eagerly wants the matter reopened.

“I want them (the family members) to go to jail and pay for what they did to my child. They don't show remorse. How can they do something like that to a child?”

While the matter appears to be going nowhere‚ Sizwe is frightened.

“[My aunt's] girlfriend made threats. She sings‚ 'the dog must bite her‚ the dog must bite her‚' in Zulu‚” Sizwe said.

Sizwe's half-sister does not deny the property dispute‚ but said she did not harm her sister.

"Nobody attacked her. We didn't even see a dog. I don't know why I was arrested.

"They are not telling you the whole story. She (Sizwe's mother) wants me to rent a room in my father's house for R1‚500. She made my little sister disrespect me."

- Information that may identify Sizwe‚ including the names of her accused family members‚ may not be published as she is the complainant in a criminal case.

*not her real name

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