Residents oppose bail for man accused after Rottweiler attack on boy

Residents of Sir Lowry’s Pass and the family of 14-year-old Christiano Jansen gathered outside Somerset West Magistrates’ Court to demand justice and oppose the release of the dog owner. Willem van der Westhuizen, 59, appeared for a bail hearing after allegedly allowing his Rottweilers to attack Christiano near his farm on October 6, 2026. The boy remains in Tygerberg Hospital with severe injuries, and investigations suggest Van der Westhuizen let the dogs maul him, a claim his lawyers dispute, stating he was walking on his property when the attack occurred.