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Daily Maverick
21-06-2025
- General
- Daily Maverick
Refusing to die — reframing the Cape Peninsula Chacma baboon crisis through the return of suppressed ecologies
In May 2022, the City of Cape Town (COCT) launched the Living Alongside Wildlife Charter (WildCT), a progressive initiative promising to protect urban wildlife and reduce 'human-wildlife conflict'. The charter emphasised prevention, education, enforcement of bylaws, improved waste management, traffic calming and a holistic, non-lethal approach to managing biodiversity. It is committed to wildlife-friendly urban management and planning, law enforcement coordination and public awareness campaigns, principles echoed in the Baboon Strategic Management Plan 2023/24-2033/34. Two years on, promises of meaningful, proactive intervention remain largely unfulfilled. Instead, baboons are still subjected to violent aversive tactics like paintballs, confined to degraded habitats with diminishing natural forage. Unsurprisingly, they seek out high-calorie alternatives such as unsecured waste in urban areas, increasing human-wildlife encounters, fuelling public frustration and deepening social divisions. While the Chacma baboon is indigenous to the Cape Peninsula and plays an important role in the local ecosystem, especially in seed dispersal, COCT and its partners, CapeNature and SANParks, collectively known as the Joint Task Team (JTT), plan to remove about 120 of them from their ancestral range. This comes as a profound contradiction: COCT, globally recognised in 2024 as a ' Beacon City ' for its compassionate approach to animal management, is now advancing undeniably cruel removals as the sole response to the presence of wildlife in increasingly human-transformed landscapes. Political expediency disguised as ecology These removals are not driven by unavoidable so-called conflict. They reflect sustained failures to implement preventative measures and enforce existing legal obligations, including bylaws on waste management and traffic calming. The reliance on reactive, coercive interventions and short-term, violent fixes reflects a legacy of exclusionary governance and control-oriented ideologies that are inconsistent with constitutional principles of participatory decision-making, administrative justice, and practices that are free from violence. To justify removals, a narrative has emerged, based on two flawed claims: first, that some baboons have splintered into smaller groups led by ' lower-ranking ' males and females; second, that hair loss may indicate poor health. The first claim ignores the biological reality that troop splintering is natural in baboon societies. The five 'splinter troops' targeted for removal have coped over the years, surviving devastating fires and human pressure. The second claim lacks scientific transparency: authorities have not released any data on stress hormone levels, despite clear links between hair loss and the chronic stress that their very management's violent tactics create. Residents regularly documented paintball gun use, including cruel attacks on lactating females and even day-old infants. Ecological decline and governance failure The 2024 Western Cape State of the Environment Report offers a dire picture: ecosystem health continued its steady decline over the past five years. Habitat loss and species deterioration are recorded even in protected areas like Table Mountain. Drivers include invasive species, poaching, arson, illegal trade, lack of enforcement and poor implementation. While protected areas have expanded on paper, this has not translated into ecological recovery. These trends expose a critical truth: formal protection without ecological restoration is not sufficient. Fragmented, reactive conservation is failing. No climate adaptation plans seem to be effectively in place. No significant funding seems to be allocated to ecosystem repair. Most alarmingly, legal duties remain unfulfilled: the duty of care and the obligation to consider animal wellbeing in management decisions are routinely ignored. Nature continues to be treated not as a living system, but as an inert object to be controlled and used. Indigenous wisdom and suppressed ecologies Globally, indigenous communities represent just 5% of the population, yet protect more than 80% of biodiversity. In southern Africa, the San and Khoe peoples have long held baboons in high regard. Known as beings who ' refuse to die ', baboons were admired for their powerful resilience and ability to heal, escape danger and overcome drought and injury. San healers observed them closely, evoked their powers in rituals, and followed them to learn which plants they used to manage pain and heal, laying the foundation for their legendary knowledge of medicinal plants. This is not folklore. It is empirical wisdom grounded in generations of observation and coexistence. But colonial and patriarchal conservation systems systematically devalued and suppressed this intelligence. They imposed binary hierarchies: man/woman, human/animal, white/non-white, mind/body, able/disabled, etc, to normalise domination and elimination. As Dr Vandana Shiva notes, modern science evolved to serve exploitation, treating Nature as lifeless and turning knowledge into a tool to justify extraction. In doing so, it dismissed the regenerative wisdom of Indigenous people, women and peasants, precisely the knowledge we now urgently need: that of care, reciprocity and regeneration. Rehabilitation, not removal Removal is not a solution; it is a symptom of systemic failure. The way forward lies in rehabilitation, restoration and rethinking our relationship with Nature. To begin repairing its fractured bond with wildlife, the JTT must shift from a conservation paradigm of control and elimination to one of ecological restoration and care. COCT must immediately impose a moratorium on all planned baboon removals. Any future decision must be based on interdisciplinary knowledge, transparency, procedural fairness and genuine public consultation. This contrasts sharply with the flawed process imposed on the Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group, which was handed the baboon removal final decision without being consulted. CapeNature and SANParks must commit to large-scale habitat restoration. This means rehabilitating degraded zones, creating corridors and large ecological patches and planting indigenous food-bearing species essential for baboon and other wildlife survival, reducing their dependence on urban waste. COCT must implement its own mitigation strategies and bylaws on waste management, WildCT and the Cape Peninsula Baboon Strategic Management Plan by promoting true interdepartmental collaboration between waste management, law enforcement, urban planning and environmental units. This crisis is not simply political. It is ecological, ethical and cultural. It will only be resolved when the question shifts: not how to remove baboons, but how to restore the environments that have failed them. DM
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Cape Town mayor can learn from finance minister's budget
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis should table a revised Draft Budget and deliver a Budget that is realistic, linked to the CPI of 4.5%, to make it affordable to ratepayers, says the writer. Image: Phando Jikelo EXAMINING the history of the growth in the City of Cape Town budgets, it can clearly be seen that since 2021/22 Budget growth picked up substantially. The Capital Budget grew from a modest R3.7 billion to a humongous R12.7 billion in only four years. Taken against the South African economy which has a growth rate of 1.4% (revised down from 1.9%) the City's Budget growth of around 9% per year, is totally out of proportion with the rest of the country. In the latest National Budget the minister announced that future grants to municipalities will be lower due to National Budget constraints. Yet, the Mayor of Cape Town will not budge on his aggressive Capital Expansion for future projects. In the light of the national government's financial constraints, a Metro like the City of Cape Town simply cannot continue as if it is not part of the larger country. The disastrous results of this Mayor's lack of strategic vision, are clearly visible after the latest Budget fiasco with the COCT Draft Budget for 2025-26. Ratepayers have reached the end of their ability to absorb the ever increasing number of fixed charges the City introduces to fund their ambitious expansion plans. The link to property values which creates an exponential rate of tariff increases can simply not be implemented in this tight fiscal environment of national growth of only 1.4%. On 28 May 2025, the Mayor should therefore table a revised Draft Budget and deliver a Budget that is realistic, linked to the CPI of 4.5%, to make it affordable to ratepayers. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The new fixed charges must be removed and above all, an alternative to the link to property values to determine the water fixed charge must be found. (A simple flat rate as what is applied for electricity is suggested.) The Mayor should demonstrate the same restraint as what was shown in the national budget. The finance minister was forced through effective opposition in a GNU where no single party had the majority to push through what it wanted. Sandra Dickson | STOP City of Cape Town
IOL News
12-05-2025
- IOL News
Cape Town's gun violence crisis: over 350 shootings in 28 days
The ShotSpotter picked up more than 300 shots across Cape Town Image: COCT Gun violence continues to plague parts of Cape Town, with over 350 shootings recorded in the last 28 days across Nyanga, Hanover Park, Manenberg and Lavender Hill. The alarming figure comes from the City of Cape Town's ShotSpotter system – a gunshot detection technology that pinpoints the exact location of firearm discharges in real-time. Each time a gunshot is detected, City law enforcement officers are immediately dispatched and the South African Police Service (SAPS) is alerted. 'Gun violence in these communities has been ignored for too long,' said JP Smith, Mayco member for Safety and Security. 'Unless someone dies or a formal complaint is lodged, no police case is opened, no record is created, and no action is taken. That's why we funded ShotSpotter – to collect real-time evidence and push national government to send more reinforcements where they're urgently needed.' The technology proved vital again early this morning. Just after 5am, two gunshots were fired in Hanover Park. No emergency calls were made, but ShotSpotter registered the incident immediately. Officers were deployed to the exact location within minutes. 'For too long there was no proof of the scale of the problem,' Smith said. 'Now we have the data. This system has already helped us recover hundreds of firearms and make numerous arrests. But we need more – more SAPS officers on the ground and more detectives to ensure those arrested are properly investigated and convicted, not simply released and returned to terrorise their communities.' Police are investigating cases of murder and attempted murder after a two people were shot in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain. Image: Leon Knipe Following targeted patrols in gang-affected areas, SAPS reported the arrest of a 26-year-old alleged gang member. According to Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, police entered a property in Pikkewyn Street, Rocklands, where they recovered a pistol and ammunition hidden on site. The suspect was detained for possession of a prohibited firearm. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ From 5–11 May 2025, advocacy group Fight Against Crime SA (FACSA) recorded 79 shooting incidents reported directly by members of the public – a figure that may not reflect the full picture due to limited reach in some areas. Their weekly figures include 18 incidents, with 32 people shot. Of those, 12 were confirmed dead, six critically injured, and eight in unknown condition. One additional body was discovered with the cause of death undetermined. Police have confirmed a number of recent fatal shooting incidents, including one in Agulhas Court, Hanover Park, on Friday, 2 May. According to police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie, officers were alerted by hospital staff after the body of a 33-year-old man, who had been shot in the chest, was brought in. An eight-year-old girl and an adult male were also treated for gunshot wounds as innocent bystanders. No arrests have yet been made. A day earlier, on 1 May, three men aged between 17 and 40 were shot dead in Clarke Estate, Elsies River. A fourth victim, aged 21, sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. SAPS has opened three murder dockets and one of attempted murder. Detectives from the Anti-Gang Unit are investigating. In another tragic case from the same week, Lentegeur police responded to a fatal shooting on Linaria Road. A 42-year-old man was declared dead at the scene after being attacked while driving. A woman in the vehicle suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was hospitalised. Weekend Argus
