NEIGHBOURS of a five-year-old who was mauled to death in White River, Mpumalanga are traumatised.
Pitbulls attacked the little girl on Tuesday while she was getting out of her teacher’s car.
Paramedics declared her dead at the scene.
Shocked neighbours told Daily Sun they didn’t know how dangerous the teacher’s dogs were.
One neighbour said the dogs had started attacking other dogs in the area but the owners told people they shouldn’t be scared.
“We didn’t see this coming and that we would have such a serious situation.”
Another neighbour said they have been living in fear of the dogs.
“Once they started barking at you, there was no way you could run away.
“The incident has really traumatised the whole community.
“This was a big tragedy for us.”
Colonel Mtsholi Bhembe said the dogs’ 51-year-old owner had just arrived with the girl when the incident happened.
“As soon as she opened her gate, the dogs suddenly attacked the young girl, killing her,” he said.
Bhembe said a case was opened and investigations were still underway.
SPCA inspector Michelle Van Wyk said the owners asked them to put the dogs down.
