MBOMBELA – A 38-year-old man who was recently bitten by a dog at the gate of his client, is planning to sue the animal’s owner.
Mr Mike Makhubela was apparently bitten by the canine of one of his clients, Mr Pierre Coetzee on April 9. “I went to the client’s house to do work there, but he was not at home. We were told that he was on his way back and my employee and I waited for him outside his yard. The two dogs kept barking at us from inside,” explained Makhubela.
He said when Coetzee finally arrived, he opened his gates with a remote and one of the dogs ran out and went straight for Makhubela.
He claims he fell down and was severely bitten on the right side of his abdomen and right arm. Makhubela said that when the owner saw he was injured, he went back to his house and came back with an antiseptic and a piece of cotton wool which he gave to Mr Sam Ramoyaga, one of Makhubela’s assistants to clean his wounds.
“I was in deep pain and when I asked him to take me to hospital, he said he was busy and could not leave his duties to take me, adding that I was not bitten by him but his dog,” he alleged.
Makhubela walked to Rob Ferreira Hospital where he was admitted for seven days.
He added Coetzee didn’t bother to visit him despite the fact that he was made aware by the hospital that he had been admitted. “He even told me that he doesn’t care and I can take whatever steps I think can help me. I only needed him to show sympathy and even take me to a special doctor because I was bitten by his dog in his yard. But now that he refuses my kind request and instead shows me the ‘I-don’t-care’ attitude, I’m taking this matter further. I have consulted with my lawyers and want him to compensate me with
R20 000,” he said.
Coetzee said his dog only bit Makhubela because he slapped it with his open palm after he (Coetzee) had opened the gate. “He is making a big story from a small thing here. I have video clips in my house of what happened on that day. Makhubela owes me R20 000 and now he is trying to use this story to run away from paying my money.
“I don’t know what he is trying to do, I treated his little wound at the gate. I am not a hateful person. He is now threatening me and sends SMSes that I must come to see him near Shoprite Checkers. How can I drive all the way from Phalaborwa where I am working just to see him, he just wants to use this story to run away from paying the money he owes me,” said Coetzee.
