Philemon Mulala, a former member of the Zambian national football team, was identified as the victim of his own three dogs.
60-year-old Mulala was attacked in his home in Lichtenburg, North-West, News24 reports.
According to provincial police spokesperson Captain Sam Tselanyane, Mulala’s wife was busy on the opposite side of their residence when she heard the dogs barking.
The area was experiencing load shedding at the time.
Tselanyane stated, “She didn’t bother to investigate because their home is located on a busy street and their dogs frequently bark at passing pedestrians and vehicles.”
He added, “Moreover, after the electricity was restored, she allegedly entered the house in search of her husband but was unable to locate him.
“As she continued her search, the woman discovered her husband motionless in the garden. She rushed outside to discover that her husband had been bitten by their three dogs, two staffie/pit bull mixes and one dog of unknown breed.
Tselanyane reported that police and Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) were dispatched to the scene, and that Mulala was pronounced dead at the scene.
The SPCA was also contacted, and the three dogs were removed from the property, he said.
READ MORE: Man mauled to death by a pitbull at a tavern
The police have opened an investigation file.
Mulala also played for Cape Town Spurs and Dynamos in South Africa.