Following years of vicious attacks on innocent citizens, including young children, the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation has called for the immediate ban of pit bulls.

The call has been necessitated by the attacks which seem to continue unabated with the recent attack resulting in the untimely and unfortunate death of a 10-year-old in Gelvandale, Gqeberha in Nelson Mandela Bay. 

The call to ban pit bulls in South Africa comes as other countries like Russia, Finland, Denmark, United Kingdom, Portugal, parts of Germany, parts of China, parts of Brazil and parts of Australia, among a host of countries have either banned, put restrictions on ownership of the breed or its importation.

Foundation founder and patron Sizwe Kupelo has called on the SA government to follow suite.

“We cannot continue losing young people like Storm Nuku to these vicious dogs that have shown time and again that they should not be kept as pets. May young Storm Nuku rest in perfect peace.

“The defence by pit bull lovers that it is how you raise the dog does not hold water. So many people, including joggers have been attacked and killed by pit bulls.

“It is time that the South African government takes decisive steps and impose a complete ban on the ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals. Such a move would prevent further attacks and unnecessary deaths. We cannot continue sending out messages of condolences for something that can easily be prevented.”

We are calling on other animal lovers and organisations to make similar calls so as to put more pressure on government to ban these vicious animals, soon.