Bloemfontein Woman Convicted of Culpable Homicide After Her Pit Bull Kills a Child
- A woman from Bloemfontein in the Free State was found guilty of culpable homicide after her dog killed a child
- The dog broke free and attacked the victim in his home while he was playing in the garage of his home
- South Africans welcomed the conviction and many renewed calls to ban pitbulls in the country
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Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.
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BLOEMFONTEIN, FREE STATE — South Africans celebrated the conviction of a Bloemfontein, Free State woman who was found guilty of culpable homicide after her pitbull mauled a little boy to death.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority, 43-year-old Keabetswe Moroane was found guilty of culpable homicide after her pitbull killed her son's eight-year-old son on 12 November 2022. The victim was playing outside in the garage when the pitbull broke free and entered the yard. It viciously attacked the young boys, who were certified dead on the scene.
The court ruled that Moroane was negligent in not taking steps to keep her dog from causing harm. She also faced multiple complaints about their terrorising residents on several occasions. She restrained the dog, and the neighbours attempted to install wooden poles and fences, but all of these failed.
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The court ruled that she was duty-bound to care for and protect others from the danger the pit bull posed to the community. She will return to court for sentencing on 2 September 2025.
Incidents of pit bulls attacked people
- A Western Cape man was arrested on 18 January 2025 after he set his three pit bulls on members of the South African Police Service's anti-gang unit in Delft, Western Cape
- A pit bull mauled a 10-year-old girl in Kimberley, Northern Cape, on 1 April, and it permanently damaged her face
- A granny suffered severe injuries when she was mauled by a neighbour's pit bull after escaping from the yard
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What did South Africans say?
Netizens, commenting on Facebook, celebrated the conviction.
Rudy Quanson said:
"The political leaders should table a motion to create a bill that forces owners of pitbulls and other powerful breeds to have a special permit."
Shanewel Ehsaan Chandra said:
"Pit bulls must be in the wild. They're not supposed to be pets. Never ever heard a happy ending with these dogs.
Merle Bruyns said:
"That's right. Lock her up."
Lelhogonolo Mose said:
"Should have been charged with murder. These pitbull owners will never learn."
Angela Brinkley said:
"Yes! This is the only way people will step up and take responsibility for their dogs."
School employee hospitalised for saving child from pitbull
In a related incident, Briefly News reported that a Durban, KwaZulu-Natal school employee shielded a child from a pit bull attack while sustaining injuries. The incident took place in 2023.
A woman and a child were walking toward the school when the dog rushed from a nearby house toward the child. The man shielded the child and sustained the injuries in the process.
Source: Briefly News
