Police in Emgwenya (Waterval Boven) have opened an inquest following an incident in which a man was allegedly attacked and killed by pit bulls in the early hours of Wednesday, February 11.

According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, officers were alerted at approximately 05:10 about the incident.

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“Upon arrival at the scene, police and Emergency Medical Services discovered the body of a man on the road near a scrapyard. Preliminary investigations revealed that two pit bulls and three other dogs belong to the owner of the scrapyard. Both pit bulls were reportedly found with blood on their muzzles, suggesting they were responsible for the attack,” Ndubane said.

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She added that the victim was certified dead at the scene and has since been identified by his family.

“Further investigation indicates the incident occurred around 02:00 when the deceased was passing the premises and the dogs allegedly escaped from the yard. Police were only alerted at 05:10. It was also established that the deceased lived with mental health challenges,” said Ndubane.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities confirmed that the dogs will be removed from the owner’s possession.