What has unfolded on the streets of Betty’s Bay recently is a snapshot of the daily life experiences of the Betty’s Bay troop since 19 April 2021. . . the day HWS entered the lives of both baboons and residents in the area. This calls for a lengthy look back in time to October 2021 where the cracks in this monitoring program were already appearing. . .only 6 months into HWS’ tenure.
Turn back the clock to pre 2020. A cohesive troop, moving along slowly and calmly through neighbourhoods. Residents were alerted in real time of troop movement on community Whatsapps groups and as a result, closed up for the 30 minutes or so it took for them to move on. Today, we now face a “prisoner in my home all day” situation. Residents are now dealing with a splintered troop, continually chased and paintballed; They pop up wherever and whenever. The rationale by HWS that harsh pain-inflicting deterrents used to shoot the troop into submission would solve the problem, has not worked.The residents and baboons are no better off, millions of Rands later.
Any reputable service provider would have done its homework ahead of the implementation of any management plan and Overstrand Municipality (OM) themselves, failed to conduct the required research in terms of the Strategic Baboon Management Plan (SBMP). Why were the causes of baboon presence in urban areas not addressed first? This is a human problem, not a baboon problem! This program was doomed from the start. No study on methodology was conducted, no consultation with residents and no collaboration with those knowledgeable and experienced was done. Truly a “cart before the horse” situation. Regardless, and with their slick presentation, HWS agreed to implement a monitoring program to keep baboons safely out of town and as many thought, out of their houses. OM fell for it and we were duped!
Any reputable service provider would have made light work of monitoring this once cohesive, calm troop and avoided the 8 baboon fatalities that have occurred in the Betty’s Bay/Silversands/ Kleinmond area during HWS’ 18 month tenure so far. The facts speak for themselves.
The BLGs ( Baboon Liaison Groups) were legitimately formed in terms of the SBMP to act as a bridge between OM and communities. The last productive BLG meeting held on 14 October 2021 produced some interesting facts and raised more questions than answers. However, follow-up meetings were cancelled by the Mayor and Municipal Manager and the momentum achieved was halted in its tracks. No minutes materialised for this meeting (?) although we believe constitutionally they are required. A summary of the main points of concern was done by BLG members at the time which revealed some “eyebrow-raising” facts. To be clear, Provincial authorities who had signed the Compactum and SBMP together with OM, removed the “Confidentiality Clause” from the BLG Terms and Reference at the request of the members. This allows members to report back issues discussed and agreed upon at the meetings, to their communities. So here they are.
HWS was not present at this meeting. With the result, it created a conducive environment for everyone to speak their mind. This was the first meeting since the death of Scarface by selective euthanasia for management purposes. HWS had requested permission to be excused as they were busy with the completion of certain documents. This is the interesting part. . . . HWS was expected to submit a number of reports at this meeting and could not do so.
Some of these reports were requested as far back at the July 2021 BLG meeting. Amongst others, was the proof of local employment (or lack thereof), the training given to their staff and the incident report on the death of Scarface. It has to be said that these action points form part of Special Conditions (Addendum A) attached to the contract. OM’s Sustainable Environmental Management Services (EMS) present at the meeting, had given HWS an extension until the 22 October 2021 on these action points failing which, they (OM) would be following contractual proceedings.
The same had applied in the Overstrand East (Hermanus and surrounding areas) where HWS was also given an extension until 22 October 2021 to submit reports.
A proposal was made by a Kleinmond BLG member, for the contract to be terminated as OM clearly did not have the capacity to manage baboons. The proposal was supported by the majority of BLG members. It was later explained by the EMS manager that unlike a private contract, it was more difficult to cancel a contract by means of contractual breach, as procedures needed to follow a process. Also the point was made by her that OM did not want to inform the BLG each time HWS did not comply, as they would usually take it up with their legal department themselves to address it legally. One could raise the question of how frequently had this occurred? No feedback as to the outcome of this instance has taken place, despite the serious nature of the impending failure by HWS to fulfil its contractual obligations.
At this point, The EMS manager showed signs of frustration / exhaustion /”moedeloosheid” (despondency) in her dealings with HWS. She was, after all one of the signatories of the contract but one can only assume that perhaps her hands were tied and that those higher up the chain of command within the OM were responsible for this . . . why? EMS are responsible for the baboon management program and their opinions would be considered vital in any decision making process. Clearly she was not happy with the situation. What is the backstory here?
Other important issues discussed included the Key Performance Indices (KPIs) for the HWS current contract. These are impractical and can’t be measured. They are based on “time out of town” of individuals and troops. A “troop” is categorised as being 50% or more of the whole troop. This doesn’t make sense! It was recommended that these be changed to “reduced house entries or incursions”. The members requested that this be dealt with at the one year review process in November 2021. All following BLG meetings were cancelled by the Mayor and Municipal Manager in November 2021 after a workshop for this had been planned and diarised. To date no discussions on the KPIs for the new Tender Document have taken place either.
Promises made but not kept
At the recommendation of the independent Primatologist Dr Dave Gaynor in August 2021, discussions were to be held with HWS to use less aggression when monitoring. Paintballing was to be implemented only when really necessary. Due to work constraints EMS did not have time to oversee the monitoring process in the past and check if reports were accurate. In future, the new Project Manager would monitor the outcome of this and ensure the change in this methodological approach was implemented and quality control was followed. This action point has not taken place.
At a meeting in March 2021, a trial period with a softer approach was promised. This trial did not take place. The incidents of extreme and indiscriminate paintball shooting have only increased. When again questioned on this issue, no appropriate response was given by EMS at the October 2021 meeting.
EMS were to get information regarding the baboon management program in Greyton and submit a report to the BLG. This has not taken place.
At a July 2021 BLG meeting the question of polarisation within the communities was raised and that it should be addressed by facilitating discussions between the various parties. This did not take place.
The issue of belated submissions by HWS of monthly reports was raised at the October 2021 meeting, but were not resolved satisfactorily with EMS repeatedly moving the goalposts to accommodate HWS. The last presentation by HWS to the BLG was that of the June 2021 report. The HWS data used in the reports, according to the OM, is not verifiable. OM accepts everything HWS says and does at face value, but the public is ignored unless reports submitted have some form of verification.
With this in mind, OM cannot repeat the mistakes made in the past. HWS should be held accountable immediately for their failure to monitor our baboons safely and for the lack of compliance in their obligations and deliverables. Despite a moratorium imposed on HWS for a short period rescinding their use of paintballs and “euthanasia, for the vast majority of their tenure to date they have had full use of their “tool box” including the virtual fence, paintballing and bear bangers (not killing, as this is deemed not appropriate where baboons are contracted to be managed. . . not killed). Yet the baboons are still repeatedly in the urban area.
Even the skeptics have to agree that the current situation overall is far worse now than pre HWS. It is also apparent that the issues discussed a year ago have not been addressed and the chaotic situation has only increased. The impression given is that HWS currently has nothing to lose and is making a last-ditch-attempt at salvaging what they have left of a contract. This, by resorting to all tactics to justify their failures ie. blaming “activists” and using them as scapegoats without solid evidence. The more chaos on the streets only feeds into the misguided notion that the Betty’s Bay and Pringle Bay baboons are the delinquents of the Overstrand and as such, need to be dealt “tough love” by HWS! We call that in simple terms, “cruelty”.