Withdrawal of Litigation welcomed by Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team

The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) consisting of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town, welcomes the decision by Ryno Engelbrecht, Baboon Matters, Beauty Without Cruelty and Jo-Ann Bosman to withdraw their litigation against the three authorities constituting the CPBMJTT. It is unfortunate that this litigation, brought before the Western Cape High Court, came at a great cost in terms of time, money, and human resources while the CPBMJTT was already making significant strides in laying a sound foundation for the implementation of the Baboon Strategic Management Plan. Regardless, the CPBMJTT appreciates the acknowledgement of the litigants that the authorities are indeed committed to implementing the Baboon Strategic Management Plan, that great progress has been made in this regard, and that the CPBMJTT can count on their support and cooperation going forward. Read more below:

This morning, 6 December 2024, Ryno Engelbrecht, Baboon Matters, Beauty Without Cruelty, and Jo-Ann Bosman, have withdrawn their litigation against SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town in the Western Cape High Court. All parties to the litigation have agreed to pay their own costs, as per the agreed court order.

The CPBMJTT has, over the past few months, initiated several processes to secure the presence of rangers in baboon-affected areas on the Cape Peninsula and to address the funding of these services.

It has also dedicated considerable time and resources in investigating and identifying the most suitable mechanism to support the implementation of the Baboon Strategic Management Plan.

The proposed partnership with the Shark Spotters, a non-profit organisation, is the outcome of this process whereby the NPO will perform selected operational tasks and secure and manage community resources needed for the implementation of the Baboon Strategic Management Plan.

Significant progress has been achieved:

• The City’s appointment of NCC Environmental Services through a Request for Quotation process to ensure a presence of baboon rangers from 1 December until 31 December 2024 in baboon-affected areas to keep troops out of the urban area and in their natural environment as far as possible
• Finalising a supply chain management process for the appointment of a contractor for a 12-month period, on a month-to-month basis, to secure baboon ranger services as from 1 January 2025 as an interim solution
• Securing the City of Cape Town’s Council approval on 5 December 2024 for the proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Shark Spotters and the associated budget needed to assist with the implementation of the Cape Peninsula Baboon Strategic Management Plan as a longer term solution

• Once the MoA between the City and Shark Spotters have been finalised, both SANParks and CapeNature will follow suit and also make contributions to the Shark Spotters, the details of which will be stipulated in their individual agreements or MoAs with the NPO
• In February 2025 the CPBMJTT will host the inaugural meeting of the Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group who will represent their respective communities and organisations in engagements with the three authorities on the implementation of the Baboon Strategic Management Plan.

The Baboon Strategic Management Plan envisions a sustainable and wild baboon population living in natural landscapes on the Cape Peninsula, with community partnerships and local solutions as being key to keep baboons wild and reduce human-baboon conflict. This plan was extensively workshopped with residents, stakeholders, and all interested and affected parties; finalised and approved in December 2023.

The City, SANParks and CapeNature have, over the past two years, created an invaluable and historic relationship in the form of the CPBMJTT. The first of its kind in many decades.

The cooperation between the three spheres of government and the collective commitment in following a new path that will ensure the sustainable management of the Cape Peninsula’s Chacma baboons is a major achievement and in the best interest of the affected communities, baboons, residents in general, and all stakeholders.

The CPBMJTT thanks the communities and other stakeholders for their continued support and cooperation.

For more information contact: cpbmjtt@capenature.co.za