Weekly Wrap: Cape Town Woman Mauled to Death by Her Pit Bulls and Former Rugby Star’s Death at 31

It was a week filled with sad news as two tragic deaths dominated headlines in South Africa. A Cape Town woman lost her life after being attacked by her own pit bulls, while the death of a former rugby star at just 31 sent ripples of grief through the sporting community.

Briefly News looks at the stories that captured the nation’s attention and charted social media trends last week.

1. Cape Town woman killed in a pit bull attack

A Cape Town pitbull owner, identified as Faziela Swartz, succumbed to her injuries after being mauled by her two dogs. According to reports, the 44-year-old mother was attacked by her two pets at her home on 28 January 2026. Faziela was rushed to the hospital but died from her injuries on 3 February 2026.

Advocacy groups have called for stricter measures to be implemented to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.

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2. Kurt Drysdale dies at 31

The South African sporting community plunged into mourning following the death of former Sharks star Kurt Drysdale, who recently passed away. The 31-year-old died years after a catastrophic spinal injury left him quadriplegic.

The Sharks announced their former player's death in a statement on social media. The team also sent condolence messages to his family and fans.

3. How much did Drake pay Uncle Don?

TikTok content creator Uncle Don, who became an international star when he featured in Drake's music video for the song Healing opened up about the payment he got for his appearance.

Speaking in a viral interview, Uncle Don noted that he doesn't understand how much influencers get paid to feature in music videos, but what he got from the God's Plan hitmaker was more than enough.

4. Pit bull ownership questioned after Cape Town death

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The question about whether or not owning pit bulls should be legal has emerged again in Mzansi after a 44-year-old Cape Town woman was mauled to death by her two dogs.

A social media user received Mzansi's attention when he opened up about how dangerous the dogs are in a now-viral video. The concerned netizen said:

"I don’t care what pit bull lovers say. Me, I can never trust a pit bull. Those dogs are dangerous."

5. Generous man tips humble waiter R5K

A waiter in one of South Africa's most popular restaurants went viral after receiving a R5 000 tip from a satisfied customer. The customer had initially wanted to tip R500, but he decided to make the waiter's day and added another zero.

The trending video sent a buzz on social media as many noted that the waiter's service must have been top-notch.

6. Bobby van Jaarsveld's post sparks romance rumours

Afrikaans entertainer Bobby van Jaarsveld's private life was recently in the spotlight after he shared a picture getting cosy with an unnamed mystery lady.

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The star, who recently called it quits with his wife, Anna, was accused of soft-launching his new lady in the snap that was shared just five days before Valentine's Day. Bobby has remained mum on the issue.

7. Bash lands first brand deal after split from Ntandokazi

Athini Bashe, popularly known as Bash, is levelling up, despite his recent public breakup from his fianceé Ntandokazi Mzamo.

The media personality, who has been charting social media trends for all the wrong reasons following the split, shared a video endorsing a top South African brand.

8. SA rapper pays tribute to woman killed by pit bulls

South African rapper Yung DTrey has released a tribute song in honour of Faziela Swartz, a Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, resident, whose pit bulls fatally attacked her in late January 2026.

Speaking about his latest offering, the up-and-coming rapper explained the motivation behind the song. He added that Swartz's family member had requested the song, which was released on 9 February 2026.

Source: Briefly News