Cape Town Woman Fatally Attacked by Her Own Pit Bulls, South Africans Incensed

• A woman from the Western Cape succumbed to her injuries on 3 February 2026 after her pit bull dogs mauled her in late January
• The woman's neighbours attempted to rescue her, but the dogs made it difficult to help her on time, as she was rushed to the hospital and died there
• JustAdvocacy called for stricter regulations, and South Africans blamed poor training by owners for aggressive pit bull behaviour

For seven years, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, South Africa, covered a range of topics, including accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather, and natural disaster-related incidents, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — Advocacy group JustAdvocacy has called for stricter measures to be imposed on pit bull owners after Faziela Swartz, a pit bull owner from Cape Town in the Western Cape, was fatally mauled by her pit bulls on 28 January 2026. She died from her injuries on 3 February.

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JustAdvocacy shared a series of posts on its @JustAdvocacy TikTok account. Faziela, who was a 44-year-old mother, was attacked by her two pit bulls in the backyard of her home. Neighbours heard her screams and rushed out. Some tried to pour water on the dogs to distract them, but it did not work. Others allegedly stood by and recorded the horrific incident.

Woman mauled by her pit bulls

Faziela reportedly struggled to free herself from the dogs, but one of them allegedly refused to let go. She was heard crying in agony and exhaustion, and some of her last words before she lost consciousness were "I can't anymore." She was rushed to the hospital, where she died from her injuries less than a week later. Her two pit bulls were euthanised on the same day.

View the TikTok post here:

Pit bull attacks in 2025

Faziela is, unfortunately, one of the scores of people who were mauled by pit bulls, sometimes fatally. In April 2025, a Northern Cape mother called for justice after a pit bull mauled her 10-year-old daughter, leaving her severely deformed on 1 April; she required facial reconstruction.

A mother and her daughter were injured in an alarming pit bull attack on 31 December 2025 in Manor Gardens, KwaZulu-Natal. The pair were walking their own dogs when they were attacked. They were bitten on the lower parts of their bodies. They were rushed to the hospital, where they received treatment.

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JustAdvocacy calls for stricter measures

JustAdvocacy stated that the incident was a stark reminder of the risks that must be considered when owning a pit bull. The organisation called for stricter regulations, including mandatory training for owners, breed-specific laws, and better animal welfare checks.

"While many are loving pets, poor training, neglect, or underlying issues can turn deadly. In South Africa, dog attacks claim lives too often, especially in areas like Mitchells Plain, where pets are part of family protection," the organisation said.

What did South Africans say?

Netizens in the comment section discussed the role owners play in a pit bull's temperament.

Linda Lamiah Middleton said:

"The owner is responsible. I've had more than one pit bull. It's how you train your dogs. My dogs love to be around people."

Marlon October said:

"I had three pit bulls. In my opinion, it is the way in which they are raised. I had no problem with mine. Raise them aggressively, raise them with love and affection, and you will get a lovable dog."

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Tess said:

"Why do you not advocate for better dog owners? Stop blaming the breed and look at owner behaviour."

Go for Gold disagreed:

"It doesn't matter how well you treat pit bulls. At some or other stage, they turn on their owners."

Sallypillay575Sleemoz said:

"I'm a pit owner. Most loving and most protective pets. I wonder what went wrong here."

Pit bulls maul Vryburg man to death

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a 39-year-old man was killed after two pit bulls mauled him to death. The incident occurred in Vryburg, North West.

The man who was killed was living on the property as a tenant when the attack took place. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries the following day.

Source: Briefly News