Dog attack victim remains in ICU 

…as SA medical bills soar 

Rethabile Pitso 

THE mother of 12-year-old ‘Nete Leotlela, who was brutally attacked by five dogs last week, says her son remains in intensive care at a Bloemfontein hospital after  undergoing several surgeries as doctors fight to save his life. 

‘Nete sustained devastating injuries after he was allegedly mauled by five German Shepherds belonging to former Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) commissioner, Tšoeu Petlane, at his residence last Monday. The attack left the boy with severe facial injuries, with reports indicating that parts of his face were torn away during the ordeal. 

Speaking to the Lesotho Times yesterday, the boy’s mother, Lineo Ramantsoe, said the family had devoted all its energy to his recovery and had little opportunity to deal with other aspects of the tragedy. 

She said after doctors at Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital determined that her son’s injuries required specialist treatment unavailable in Lesotho, the family transferred him to a hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa. 

“He remains in the Intensive Care Unit and has already undergone several surgeries. At the moment our entire focus is on his recovery,” Ms Ramantsoe said. 

She said the extent of her son’s injuries had necessitated treatment by a multidisciplinary team of specialists, making his medical care extremely expensive. 

The family subsequently launched a fundraising campaign, appealing to members of the public to assist with the mounting medical costs. More than M100 000 has reportedly been raised so far. 

Despite the growing expenses, Ms Ramantsoe said Mr Petlane had not yet made any financial contribution towards her son’s treatment. 

“He reached out asking for a meeting but since we have been in Bloemfontein, we have not had a chance to meet him to discuss a way forward. 

“We came to Bloemfontein as soon as the incident occurred and have since been preoccupied and fully focused on my son’s recovery,” she said. 

Ms Ramantsoe said because ‘Nete had been placed under sedation for much of his treatment, the family was still uncertain about exactly what had happened before the attack. 

“We still do not have a clear story of what truly transpired that day, but believe that we will have the full story once ‘Nete regains consciousness fully. 

“But the police have since been cooperative with the investigation. After the incident occurred, they showed up while we were still at Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital to investigate and engage with us. 

“We are yet to make follow-ups with the case because, like I said, we have been fully consumed with our son’s recovery,” she said. 

She praised the medical team in Bloemfontein for the care they had provided, saying the family remained uncertain about the final cost of treatment because charges continued to accumulate daily. 

“Since arriving at this hospital we have been receiving nothing short of excellent treatment from the specialists here. 

“At the moment, we are not in a position to appreciate the full scope of the medical bills, as we are billed on daily medical intervention. The bills keep mounting as he is wheeled in and out of theatre from time to time, when not in the ICU where he is receiving the utmost care. 

“We truly appreciate the financial contributions from Basotho and other people who were touched when they learnt of this. Those contributions are a great support and we are hoping through them we reach the targeted goal,” she said. 

Contacted for comment, Mr Petlane maintained his silence on the matter, saying only that discussions between the two families were expected to take place. 

“I am not inclined to say anything further than to admit that the incident involving the child happened on my premises last week Monday. 

“The victim has been hospitalised as a result and the matter has since been reported to the relevant authorities, including the police as well as the area chief. 

“The two families are in contact. Beyond that I cannot comment, nor am I in a position to release details or respond to any enquiries,” Mr Petlane said. 

Police spokesperson, Superintendent Thabo Mohai, yesterday confirmed that investigations into the incident were continuing. 

“We are still conducting investigations into the matter,” Supt Mohai said. 

Several questions surrounding the attack remain unanswered. It is still unclear what became of the remaining dogs after three of the five animals were euthanized by a local veterinarian following the attack. Authorities have also not disclosed whether the remaining two dogs were subsequently put down. 

Equally unknown is what was captured by the security cameras installed at Mr Petlane’s residence. Mr Petlane previously indicated that he had reviewed the footage in an effort to establish exactly how the attack unfolded, but has declined to reveal what, if anything, the recordings showed. 

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