Bestiality 'on the rise' in South Africa

A 42-YEAR-OLD North West man appeared in court recently for allegedly raping a dog, casting the spotlight on the crime of bestiality.

Harry Moemisi, of Monakato near Rustenburg, was arrested after he was allegedly found having sex with the dog.

He appeared in the Mogwase Magistrate's Court last week but his case was provisionally withdrawn before it is transferred to another court.

Although there are no readily available statistics on bestiality, which falls under sexual offences, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) expressed concern that the sexual violation of animals by people appears to be on the rise.

Jaco Pieterse, society liaison unit manager at the NSPCA, said he had come across shocking cases of animal abuse.

He said a man in Barberton, Mpumalanga, was fined R500 for raping a chicken, injuring it so badly it had to be put down.

"We do not have exact numbers of how many cases have been reported as our offices are all over the country. However, these incidents are rife and most are not reported," he said .

Police, according to Pieterse, were not keen to investigate such cases, which led the NSPCA to complain to the police's top brass.

Following the NSPCA's complaint, Major-General Dan Mokgabudi wrote to his colleagues in 2011 asking them to give such cases the attention they deserved.

"The investigating officer must submit a written first factual report of crime to the local SPCA and provide regular written progress reports to the SPCA until the case is finalised," read Mokgabudi's e-mail. Sowetan