A gardener, who was mauled by his employer’s four dogs and had his arm amputated as a result, is alleging that his boss has no regard for his welfare and wanted to bribe him with R10 000 so that he would not press charges.
Peter Ishamael, a father of three, said he was viciously attacked by four dogs while he was on duty and he is now unable to work again after his left arm was amputated. And to make matters worse he says his employer “does not care about my wellbeing”.
The Malawian nation said doctors told him that his arm had to be amputated because the dogs had "poison”. Ishamael said his ordeal happened in May when his employer asked him to mow the lawn outside the yard. When he discovered that the electric fence was switched on, he went inside the house to ask to have it switched off.
And that is when the four dogs, which he had known for a year and a half, came running towards him and he thought, as usual, they were excited to play with him. However, this turned out to be a nightmare that would haunt him for the rest of his life... The dogs started attacking him viciously until he lost consciousness.
“I have never felt such pain in my life and I was bleeding all over. These dogs were biting my head and arms. I tried to call for help several times but no one came to assist me.
“At the hospital, the doctor told me that my arm needs to be cut off because those dogs had poison. I was shattered and immediately I thought of my children, what they would feel like having a one-armed father, who would no longer be able to work for them. And I started sobbing,” he said, speaking through an interpreter.
Ishamael said after he was discharged from hospital, his employer offered him R10 000 not to report this matter to the police but he refused the offer as it was too little to care for his needs since he was no longer able to work.
Ishamael also alleges that because he is an undocumented migrant, that is why his employer wanted to compensate him with such a small amount. His monthly salary was R1 700.
Now Ishamael says he needs his employer to take responsibility and fairly compensate him so that he can be able to learn a new skill to start a small business project which will help him support his wife and three children back in Malawi.
When we arrived at his place, Ishamael’s hand was swollen and painful and he said didn't have the money to go for doctor’s visits to change the dressing on his wounds at Edenville hospital.
According to Ishamael, this wasn't the first time these dogs had attacked someone. He claims that four years ago, another employee was brutally attacked.
Ishmael opened a case at De Deur police station. Police spokesperson Constable Maria Letsele said: “ The statements and evidence were collected and placed in the docket by the investigating officer. The docket was taken to court in Vereeniging on Friday the 20th of August 2021 for a decision on the Case. The docket is awaiting feedback from the court.”
Ishamael's employer initially said all questions were to be sent to him via email and his lawyers were going to respond, but later when asked to provide the responses from his lawyers, he said the issue was sub-judice and he wouldn't comment. Pressed further on why he was not being considerate on the plight of his employee, and instead calling the matter sub-judice yet it had been to court, he threatened to sue the reporter if this story was published.
“I won't say anything to you, you have no power over me, you are just a civilian like me. I refuse to say anything and please don't call me again,” he said and hung up.
Sunday Independent