Eat Tos: Child Forced To Eat Puppy by Relative After Being Accused of Killing Animal

A seven-year-old boy in South Africa has been taken into a place of safety after he was allegedly flogged by a relative and forced to eat the flesh of a dead puppy.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Social Development spokesperson Mhlabunzima Memela said the incident, which allegedly saw the boy sjambokked (lashed by a heavy whip of rhinoceros or hippopotamus hide) took place in the Mfakayi area, near Mtubatuba, in KwaZulu-Natal, in the east of the country, The South African reported.

Memela said a neighbour alerted the provincial Department of Social Development to the violence, which allegedly took place on August 22.

"We heard that the dog died and then this guy arrived, he took the sjambok and started assaulting the seven-year-old, accusing him of being the one who killed the dog.

"He forced him to eat the flesh of that dog, but one of the neighbors who noticed said she actually came to the rescue of the child," Memela said.

He said the department quickly took the boy to a safe space and he was receiving psychological support and with social workers.

"This act is disgusting. People who abuse children can never be tolerated. The child has since been moved to a child centre by our social worker. He is getting all the support he needs. The social workers will also remain with that family as it appears that all of them have been suffering abuse and need the department's intervention," he added.

"We are also keeping a close watch on his health after eating the flesh of the dog. He is coping for now," the official said.

Memela called on authorities to arrest the perpetrator.

"From interviews with other family members, this abuse has been ongoing. The boy lived with relatives as his mom passed away," Memela said.

A case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm is being investigated by Mtubatuba South African Police Service (SAPS), Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said.

"It is alleged that on August 22, 2021, a seven year old boy was assaulted with a sjambok by a relative while at his home in the Qakwini area. The victim was injured in the body. The case is still under investigation," Gwala said.

Newsweek has reached out for SAPS for further comment.

The sjambok (pronounced sham-bock) is still popular in some parts of Africa as a form of punishment. They are also used by some herdsmen to drive cattle.

Sjamboks are widely available in South Africa and are also used to ward off dangerous animals, such as snakes and aggressive dogs. The vicious whip later came to be known as a symbol of apartheid-era police violence.