A Pretoria-based law firm is set to sue an employer and the owner of three pit bulls on behalf of a 48-year-old North West domestic worker who has allegedly been viciously mauled by the dogs on three different occasions.
The attorneys – Mphahlele and Masipa, took up the civil matter on behalf of Dipuo Kokolosi after her plight was on YOU FM and then published in Newsnote in January where in we reported that the third and last attacked left her disfigured after the dogs mauled her and ripped off her nose and an ear from her face.
According to Kokolosi the first pit bull attack was in November 2021 and in that incident the dogs bit her on her shoulder. Then the following month in December 2021, the dogs attacked her again and bit her on her breast.
Then a recent January attack where she was mauled all over her body and she ended up in hospital with a disfigured face. Throughout these incidents the employer allegedly did nothing and Kokolosi said the dogs were so vicious during the last attack, had a neighbour not shot and killed them, they would have continued mauling her.
Nape Masipa from the attorneys said they will file a ‘actio de pauperi’ claim – a claim for losses that is applicable to anyone who has been a victim and suffered damages as a result of the behaviour of another’s domestic animal.
Masipa said the civil claim would ensure that the owner of the domestic animal will comply with the provisions of this action. Kokolosi’s latest ordeal started in Potchefstroom in January 2022 while she was at work inside the home of her employer.
She alleged that she was attacked by the same dogs on three occasions. Twice towards the end of 2021, and the second attack, she said, allegedly happened in the presence of the owners and they did nothing to stop their dogs.
Instead, she has alleged that her employer gave her ointments for the injuries she sustained. Then in January this year the dogs attacked her again, this time she ended up hospitalised with severe injuries.
According to Kokolosi, she has never received any compensation after the incident and she had to use her own resources to access health care facilities among other expenses she incurred as a result of her injuries.
Her employer didn’t assist and allegedly said Kokolisi must wait for justice to take its cause.
Masipa confirmed the extensiveness of Kokolotsi’s injuries and said he will be assisting her to get all her medical reports to help quantify her damages and then to proceed with launching the civil claim.
“The injuries are there. I have seen the hospital records. She suffered serious injuries, she needed a blood transfusion, she had plastic surgery, she has lost an ear and a nose she is permanently disfigured,” he said.
Masipa said essentially his law firm will be assisting Kokolosi with the civil claim but that they will keep an eye on the criminal matter as well to ensure that she gets justice from both ends. Should the NPA fail to prosecute, Masipa said they are prepared to go for a private prosecution.
“In this case, it is a human life that has been affected and no amount of compensation will bring back my client’s dignity even if we were to succeed. But we will be using the remedies available in law to get the best possible outcome for my client so that the scales of justice can be tipped in her favour,” he said.
The attorneys said they will be paying the legal costs and that Kolokosi won’t be expected to take out any money towards the legal action.
When the news was delivered to her, a relieved Kokolosi could not hold back her tears and said she was grateful that someone was coming to her rescue.
