Inside the 18-month investigation into Roodepoort man raping a dog

When Fred Sithole arrived at the offices of Community Led Animal Welfare (Claw) in Durban Deep, Roodepoort, in November 2020 with his puppy, Moana, who had just been violently sexually assaulted by his neighbour, Claw’s founder Cora Bailey made him a promise.

“The fact that this man came here with his family and put his trust in us was very touching. I said to him: ‘I give you my word that you’ve done the right thing and we’ll get justice.’ When that process took forever, there was always that feeling that you’re letting people down,” said Bailey.

Last month, after an 18-month fight by National Council of SPCA (NSPCA) inspectors to have the case remain on the court roll, the perpetrator, Mojalesa Plaas Mofokeng, was found guilty and imprisoned for eight years by the Roodepoort magistrate’s court.