FRIGHTENING BABOONS TO DEATH IN HERMANUS A Public Response to Overstrand Municipal Manager, Dean O’Neill

The EMS Foundation sent an open letter to the Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’ Neill in response to the official statement that was published on Facebook on the 22nd August 2025 with regard to eye witness reports that a baboon infant had fallen to its death in Hermanus after the baboons were allegedly frighten by baboon monitors.

In a statement  published on Facebook  on Friday 22^nd August 2025 the Overstrand Municipality Municipal Manager Dr Dean O Neill refers to the Compactum Agreement signed six years ago in 2019 between the Overstrand Municipality, CapeNature and the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. 

As part of this Compactum Agreement a Strategic Baboon Management Plan was developed and implemented from 2019 until 2024. That time period has obviously expired. 

According to a letter written to the EMS Foundation by Mr Dean O Neill in June 2023, no public participation was necessary for either of these important decision making processes. For numerous reasons we continue to question the decision not to conduct a rigorous public participation process involving ratepayers and all interested parties.

Of concern is the fact that part of the aforementioned decision-making process was the appointment of a private entity to assume responsibility for the so-called management of baboons in the Overstrand.  This contract was given at the cost of tens of millions of rands to ratepayers. This unnecessary expenditure could have been invested into failing infrastructure in the Overstrand. 

To add further insult to injury an investigation into the instance of irregular expenditure for non-compliance with supply chain management policy with regards to baboon management programme is recorded in the minutes at a Overstrand Municipality council meeting held on the 24^th April 2023. The outcome suggests that the appointed baboon management entity’s SARS Tax Clearance Certificate was not valid. 

The Strategic Baboon Management Plan,  to which Mr Dean O Neill refers,  which formed part of the Compactum Agreement does not include or specify the use of the following tools and weapons including primers, bear bangers, screamers, gel blasters, paintball guns, strobes, skid units or paintball guns. 

At a Ward 10 Special Baboon Meeting held on 29^th April 2024 Mr Gary Beukman introduced an Adapted Strategic Baboon Management Plan.  Once again there was no public participation as no commentary was allowed at this meeting. 

Of importance, at the slide presentation of this Adapted Strategic Baboon Management Plan, Mr Gary Beukman stated that the implementation of this style of baboon management would be implemented by CapeNature and officials from the NSPCA and or SPCA from the Cape of Good Hope.

 The NSPCA is however updated by residents in the Overstrand with proof of various infringements, of extreme cruelty shown towards the baboons by the baboon monitors employed by the Overstrand Municipality.  

CapeNature has indeed authorised the Adapted Strategic Baboon Management Plan but CapeNature has not been able to provide the peer reviewed scientific evidence to which Mr O Neill refers that confirms that this plan and its methods is either warranted or has been successful in the Overstrand region.  Our ggests that the methods introduced by Mr Gary Beukman have not been successful. 

The NSPCA and the Cape of Goodhope SPCA have also disputed the fact that they were included in the training of the Overstrand Municipality baboon monitors especially with regard to the use of paintball markers and any of the other aversion tools that have been used in the adaptive methodology approach which is another serious contradiction to the information publicly delivered by Mr Gary Beukman on the 29^th April 2024. 

Furthermore, the Overstrand Municipality has not been able to confirm the details of the training programme that the baboon monitors participated in or the certification that they received.  The Overstrand Municipality baboon management team is also not present on the ground with the baboon monitors.  

In our learned opinion these baboon management practices are all outdated and do not align with the global movement of a sustainable management approach.  

Questioning the Overstrand Municipality’s Baboon Management Rationale

We kindly request that Mr Dean O Neill provides the peer reviewed scientific definition of a buffer zone in relation to baboon management in the Overstrand region of the Western Cape, to which he refers in his public statement. 

The Overstrand Municipality baboon monitors, due to their lack of expert training, also have little regard for the sensitive fynbos and or the surrounding ecosystems. 

To the best of our knowledge a “buffer zone” is typically the area that the baboon troops intrinsically moved in and out of so as not to cross paths with each other.  Currently in the Overstrand the baboon monitors are forcing baboons out of their natural ranges.  Each troop is being negatively affected and there are recorded secondary incidental consequences for the residents living in close proximity to the baboons. 

Data collection carried out in Hermanus and other areas in the Overstrand confirms poor waste management systems which definitely does not prioritizes the health, safety and well-being of the baboons or any other wildlife.

In terms of the arsenal of baboon management tools preferred by the Overstrand Municipality, we urgently require further explanation with scientific supported evidence with regard to what the Municipality refers to as a safe distance to use bear bangers and screamers?

The baboons are indeed now desensitized to the unnatural noise of bear bangers and screamers. Baboons are now being born into this noise pollution. Hermanus residents are not however desensitized and have confused these sounds with gun shots.

The municipality states that before these aversive management tools are used the monitors must seek approval. We question who must they receive approval from? This concerningly suggests that there are not trained or qualified personal on the ground.  How can the untrained monitors accurately relay information in order that aversion tools may be used?

Incident Report on Sunday, 17 August 2025

The municipality confirms that on Sunday 17^th August 2025 an aversion device was launched was too close to the cliff edge.  

According to independent eye accounts this caused the death of an infant baboon. 

The content of the official statement from the Overstrand Municipality is contradictory. This incident was witnessed by numerous independent sources.  If the incident had been thoroughly investigated why is the Overstrand Municipality enquiring about the location of the incident? 

As part of the so-called thorough investigation carried out Overstrand Municipality were the independent eye witlessness’s interviewed?

Similarly, if the Overstrand Municipality is not sure of the location of the incident how can they possibly dispute the eye witness reports and suggest that a baboon pushed a rock off the cliff. 

What scientific evidence is the Overstrand Municipality relying upon which suggests that a baboon mother would throw an infant, dead or alive off a cliff?

Our information suggests that the monitors in Hermanus have not received any formal training.  How can they be expected to know what the standard operating procedures of the Adapted Baboon Management Plan permitted by CapeNature are if they have not received training or guidance or supervision?

The budget for the baboon management programme is approximately R8, 000 000,00  per annum according to Ward 10 Coucillor, Theresa Els (Overstrand Herald 19^th June 2025). Yet the monitors have not received uniforms or training, our data also suggests that there are no baboon early warning systems to in place for the residents in Hermanus.   National government provides Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) funding through the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, baboon monitors are employed through programmes such as the EPWP by the Overstrand Municipality. 

In the interests of accountability and transparency please also urgently provide us with ALL the Overstrand Municipality’s documentation on the incident and the municipality’s investigation.

Reference Documents:

Image: This image was published on social media at the time of the incident that took place in Hermanus.

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