The problems concerning the baboon colonization of parts of the suburban fringe in the South Peninsula will require urgent attention from your incoming provincial administration and the City, in conjunction with Table Mountain National Park. I have been requested by concerned citizens who live in Simon's Town to seek a pro-active and constructive solution to the problems posed by the invasion and "settlement" of suburbia by various baboon troops which roam the Southern Peninsula.

There is a difficulty with the attitude of TMNP, which, relying on outdated common law notions, seems to think that it is able to wash its hands of the problems of "theft", "robbery" and "trespassing" perpetrated by baboons who have become habituated to living in suburbia. TMNP is wrongly advised as it has a constitutional obligation to respect, protect, promote and fulfill the human rights of the people who happen to live adjacent to or near the Park. These rights include the right to property, privacy, dignity, life, bodily integrity, movement and to an environment which is not harmful to their health or well-being. In this regard I remind you, probably unnecessarily so, of the provisions of [ss 7(2), 10, 11, 12, 14, 21, 24 and 25] of the Bill of Rights. All of these rights are paramount and are guaranteed. The rights of children under [s 28] are of particular concern as their interests have to come first. There is a reasonable apprehension that it is only a matter of time before a child is seriously injured or killed by a marauding baboon. (A death in a baboon attack has already happened in the Northern Cape, so alarmism forms no part of this apprehension). The baboon troops that have colonized surburbia are increasingly bold and fearless in their interaction with humans in the neighbourhoods in which humans have attempted to deal with the invasion in a humane and non-confrontational manner. In those neighbourhoods in which baboons find their way into the pot, there is less friction as the baboons swiftly learn to stay clear of areas in which they are not tolerated.

The City and the provincial Cape Nature personnel are making a positive attempt to address the risks and dangers inherent in the situation which has developed as a result of the burgeoning and suburb-ward migration of the baboon population. Budget constraints, the unfortunate attitude of TMNP and a lack of clarity of understanding of the applicability of the constitutional obligations set out above are bedeviling progress and any possible solution to the problems of friction between baboon and human. There is a lack of appropriate, constitutionally compliant policy and rules in view of the relative novelty of the problem in the areas concerned.

There is a need for pro-active solution seeking, which may well necessitate the translocation or possible extermination of baboons who have taken up residence too close to suburbia.

There is a potential for vigilante action against baboons which would only complicate matters, bring the law in disrepute and serve to aggravate the problems that already exist by reason of baboons and humans sharing the same areas with the former plundering the latter. It would also be unfortunate, from a nature conservation perspective, should open warfare break out between frustrated and indignant humans and the invading baboons.

University of Cape Town’s (UCT's) Dr Justin O'Riain has conducted a scientific study with GPS monitoring of baboons that shows that some troops of baboons have in essence become suburbanites.