Victim mauled by three Pit bulls speaks out: “I didn’t think I would survive”

Wednesday, 25 January 2023, marks exactly one year since Dipuo Kokolosi escaped death after three pit bulls attacked her.

They ripped off her nose, lip and ears and bit chunks out of her thighs, legs, and hands. “Things have been getting better; I just take things day by day,” Kokolosi said.

“I have spent the past year in and out of the hospital. Next week, I’m having an operation to reconstruct my nose and, hopefully, get an ear.” It has been two months since Kokolosi had an operation on her mouth, and she can now speak again. She still has slight trouble holding food in her mouth and gets tired when speaking for long periods.

Only recently has she been able to speak about the events of Tuesday, 25 January 2022. The incident happened in Kock Street.  According to Kokolosi, it was just another day at work. Although the victim had worked for her employers for three years, she says she was terrified of the dogs. They were always locked away but for some reason, they were out that day.

“Early that morning, I had just hung the laundry as normal and went back into the house and started washing the dishes,” she said. “Most of the day is a blur but I remember that while I was washing the dishes, my back was towards the kitchen door. I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my leg and could not make sense of what was happening. I felt something rip another chunk of my body off. I just remember lying on the floor and screaming for help.”

The neighbours heard her frantic screams and when they investigated, they found the dogs on top of her. “It all happened so fast but, at the same time, it felt like the longest moment of my life. I was in excruciating pain, and even when people came to assist, I didn’t think I would survive the attack,” she recalls. Kokolosi had good reason to fear the dogs, even before the widely- publicised attack.

According to her, it wasn’t the first time she had had an incident with the dogs. During her early days of working there, one of the dogs bit her on the shoulder while one of her employers was home. “I was in extreme pain and pleaded with them to take me to the hospital, but they treated the wound themselves and told me I would survive,” she said.

Then, in December 2021, just a month before the vicious attack, Kokolosi was once again bitten by one of the dogs. This time, it was on the breast when both employers were present. “Just like the first incident, they treated the wound themselves,” Kokolosi went on. “I continued to work there because I needed money to put food on the table, and jobs are extremely scarce,” she said.

But even though she worked under tough conditions, she never imagined the dogs would attack her as they did. Since the last attack, Kokolosi says a lot has changed for the worse. “My life has been destroyed. I do not believe anyone would want to employ me as a domestic worker because they would be scared of how I look. It even took my family some time to get used to the ‘new me’,” she said.

“All I want is justice for what happened to me. My former employer never showed any remorse.” According to the 48-year-old, her former employers have not bothered to visit or even call to see how she is recovering. On the day of the attack, Kokolosi was in critical condition when she arrived at Potchefstroom Hospital.

“She was immediately transferred to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg,” Modiri Mompati, the spokesperson for Potchefstroom Hospital, confirmed. Since then, Kokolosi has been in and out of surgery and lives with her parents and siblings in Bloem-hof. Kokolosi’s daughter, Patricia Modise, says things have been tough. “There are days when she isn’t well, but there has been a lot of progress since that fateful day,” she said.

“What makes the situation even sadder is when people stare at her and make side comments, not realising what she has been through. “But it has been a process for all of us; counselling has helped a lot,” she added. “It is very difficult to see my mom in this condition, and I cannot do anything about it. I am trying to be strong for her and my children,” Patricia said.

For now, Patricia said the last they heard from the police was that a full medical report was required for the case to move forward. According to Colonel Adele Myburgh, police spokesperson, the case is continuing. The docket was sent to the senior public prosecutor for guidance/decision. Previous media reports stated that Kokolosi’s employer had phoned the hospital regularly to enquire about her well-being when she was being treated at the hospital.

According to the employer’s lawyer, her heart is broken after what happened to Kokolosi. “It is still a mystery how the dogs were loose on the day. The dogs were locked behind a gate,” the lawyer said.