Cape Town - The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team is involved in legal proceedings concerning the management of the Cape Peninsula chacma baboon population.
The development comes as the contracts for baboon rangers are due to expire in November 2024.
The task team, which consists of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town, held discussions with local communities regarding the Cape Peninsula Baboon Strategic Management Plan in June.
The task team informed communities about the transition period that will take place once the rangers’ contracts end.
However, no proposal concerning the employment of these rangers was submitted by September 30.
The task team yesterday informed the Cape Argus that, based on legal counsel, they will refrain from responding to any media or public inquiries about the management of the Cape Peninsula chacma baboon population while the matter is under review by the Western Cape High Court.
“The various documents that have been filed are a matter of public record and comments (verbal or written) regarding the subject matter of the ongoing litigation will only be provided once the matter has been finalised by the court,” the task team said.
The court case is anticipated to proceed on November 4, according to Jenni Trethowan, founder of Baboon Matters, who chose not to comment.
The potential consequences could mean that about 400 individuals, including 82 employees and their dependants, face the serious risk of losing their jobs.
The employees are crucial to the daily management of the baboon population, and their financial security depends on the outcome of the litigation.
Meanwhile, Lynda Silk, chairperson of Cape Peninsula Civil Conservation, said they will seek legal counsel and not “passively allow the Baboon Ranger Programme to fade away”.
“We find it very disappointing that despite an undertaking from the City’s attorneys to CPCC (Cape Peninsula Civil Conservation), the City of Cape Town has not presented the way forward as they have undertaken to do,” she said.
“Should it come to our knowledge that the ranger programme has been terminated, we will immediately take steps and institute action.”
The task team is also accused of failing to meet several of its deadlines, including the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement; the publication of the Baboon Strategic Management Plan; the organisation of public engagement meetings; and the establishment of the Baboon Advisory Group.
Silk said: “They have families to support and although it is now as soon as the end of next month that they seem to be without jobs, they still don’t know the City’s plan going forward.”
byron.lukas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus