A tribute to Kobus (Admiral) – Our friend, kindred spirit and protector of the Chacma Baboon
Kobus was one of a kind. He was a giant of a man with a big heart and a fearless determination not only to overcome his own adversities but to fight for the just and humane treatment of our Chacma Baboons (Papio ursinus). Kobus was a quadriplegic, confined to a wheelchair as a result of a motor vehicle accident many years ago. A Chemical Engineering degree followed by a MBA and an International Executive Programme led him to follow a successful career in Corporate Banking and Tech Solutions. As a businessman and business owner he was known as the “best of the best”. His genius was evident in all he accomplished in his life and his love of life. When he and Gardiol settled in Betty’s Bay, baboons were not on his agenda. It took a moment in time for all that to change when Brutus paid him a visit in his study one afternoon and their eyes locked. “I was hooked” he said.
From that moment onwards Kobus would make it his business to follow the path wherever it led him, to seek justice for our baboons and hold those managing our baboons accountable. He didn’t mince his words and used every trick in the book to get to the bottom of things. Did we laugh when he made those unexpected phone calls to try and glean /extract information to help the cause! Little did our baboons know that all this energy and labour was going on behind the scenes! He did not shy away from insisting that his business day started, with appointments made after midday and that he would be up and “wheeling” until the day’s work was done, mostly into the evening. He never backed away from a challenge and he instilled that culture of courage in all who worked alongside him. His knowledge of technology astounded all who worked with him and he would “fire’ as he put it, an email off before any of us could. He had overcome all the dexterous challenges in life and would happily light up one cigarette after the other and knock back an Irish coffee or two…. or three. That was Kobus.
Then there was the soft side of Kobus; Compassionate, generous, tolerant and caring. He always saw the best in one. If someone needed a baboon-proof bin, he would make a plan. If someone needed a bin baboon-proofed, he would organise it. He was able to relate to all the team members of Save Cape Baboons (SCB) and work through with each one the specific role they played within the team. Each team member had a talent and he nurtured that talent and got the best out of them. He was a coordinator par excellence. His leadership qualities were second to none and nothing got done without his approval. He was the founder and Executive Director of SCB and he filled that position perfectly.
Kobus’s private life was just that. . . private. He had an adoring and loving wife Gardiol, who was always there for him and made sure those who were present at meetings were sufficiently catered for with magnificent views of the ocean as a backdrop. We will indeed miss him as we continue his work in memory of his dedication and commitment to improve the lives of our local baboons. Kobus has seen us through the ups and downs and his memory will inspire us to keep going until we achieve our goals and justice for our baboons.