Ndlambe in firing line after rottweilers maul man to death

Six months after Agri Eastern Cape obtained a court order for the municipality to enforce the bylaws around the breeding of dogs, their fears that sparked the legal action were realised when a man was mauled to death in Kenton-on-Sea.

The alleged breeder of the two rottweilers believed to have attacked the 37-year-old man at the weekend is known to the victim’s family.

He is understood to have been a policeman and the son of a Ndlambe municipal official.

Agri Eastern Cape said yesterday the incident had been the result of the continuing failure by the municipality to enforce bylaws around the breeding and keeping of dogs, despite repeated concerns raised in this regard.

Khayalethu Bulo died after being savaged in Northwood Street near the Dolphin Centre in Kenton-on-Sea on Saturday.

His brother, Welcome, said his sibling had lived alone in the Kenton township of Ekuphumleni.

“He had no wife or children and we have no mother or father.

“He was in town on Saturday morning when the dogs [allegedly] attacked him and he died on the scene because of his wounds.”

Welcome said after being alerted by the police, the alleged breeder’s mother had visited the scene.

Agri Eastern Cape chief executive Brent McNamara said the attack had been the tragic culmination of a longstanding problem.

“The two rottweilers [allegedly] involved in this incident apparently crossed over the R72 from Ekuphumleni into Kenton, where they attacked Mr Bulo.

“The underlying issue here is a municipality failing to enforce its bylaws and specifically those that deal with indiscriminate dog breeding and unse

cured dogs wandering around.

“These feral dogs are a danger not only to human life, but also to farms where they cause havoc, especially where there is small livestock.”

He said after fighting the problem for years following a number of incidents in the area, including stock kills and one in September 2020 in which dogs savaged a woman in Alexandria, Agri Eastern Cape had taken the local municipality to court last year.

“We received a judgment in November 2021 ordering that they must indeed enforce the Ndlambe public nuisance and keeping of animals bylaws.

“But it seems since then they have done nothing to comply with this order.

“This incident, where a person has now been killed, is symptomatic of that problem.

“There seems to be a lack of will from the municipality and also from certain police officers to enforce our bylaws.”

The Facebook site of the alleged owner-breeder, whose name is known to The Herald, shows that he breeds rottweilers and sells them for between R3,000 and R3,500 each.

Attempts were made to reach him at the cellphone number listed on the site, but the calls went unanswered.

Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said the police were investigating the matter.

“Police have opened an inquest docket following the death of a man allegedly mauled by two dogs in Kentonon-Sea.

“It is alleged that on Saturday at about 5am the man was walking in Northwood Street when two rottweilers attacked him.

“He sustained several bite wounds and died at the scene.

“The two dogs were later taken to the local SPCA.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

“Criminal charges may arise at a later stage of the investigation.”

Questions were sent to the municipality and while receipt was confirmed by spokesperson Cecil Mbolekwa, no response had been received by the time of going to print.

McNamara said the dogs had been taken to the Port Alfred SPCA.

An employee at the pound said the police had asked them not to comment on the matter until their investigation was complete.