A routine Tuesday turned into a nightmare for a local homeowner after a troop of roughly 10 baboons gained access to a house on Blushing Bride Street along Mountainside in Gordon’s Bay, trapping themselves inside and causing extensive damage on the afternoon of 8 September.

Property owner Ria du Toit, who was away in Tzaneen at the time, was alerted by vigilant neighbours who heard sounds of destruction coming from her double-storey home while her son was out. From hundreds of kilometres away, Du Toit spent hours frantically calling emergency numbers, including animal welfare services and the municipal baboon hotline, in a desperate bid to get help to the scene.

“It was a disaster,” said Du Toit. “We called the baboon hotline, but that’s just to report – there is no action. We called animal welfare and our insurance emergency lines, but no-one could help us.”

The situation was eventually resolved around 16:00 on Tuesday afternoon when her neighbour Lynn le Clercq arrived at the property to assist.

After Du Toit unlocked the front door remotely, Le Clercq and officers from Gordon’s Bay Security (GBSec) confronted the aggressive primates inside.

“I pushed open the door and initially saw three baboons,” Le Clercq recalled. “GBSec officers banged sticks and opened windows, and about 10 baboons ended up running out of the house.”

The trapped animals left behind significant destruction throughout the residence. Televisions were smashed, cupboards, fridges and freezers were torn open and emptied, and the entire interior was soiled with urine and faeces.

Relocation pace concerns

Le Clercq warned that the local baboon population has become increasingly fearless, threatening pets and forcing residents to alter their daily lives.

“The big alpha baboon was incredibly aggressive, protecting its troop. We are prisoners in our own homes – we can’t even keep our windows open. I’ve had to clear all the fruit trees in my garden,” Le Clercq said.

She added that while residents give credit to the City of Cape Town for beginning the process of removing problem animals, the pace of the intervention leaves residents vulnerable.

Addressing the incident, Eddie Andrews, deputy mayor and Mayoral Committee member for Spatial Planning and Environment, confirmed that baboon sightings on Blushing Bride Street were reported via the baboon hotline on 8 September.

However, Andrews clarified that the City does not have an active baboon response team in Gordon’s Bay, and reports logged via the hotline are recorded for monitoring and coordination purposes rather than field dispatch.

This operational standing was previously communicated during a meeting regarding the baboons with affected residents of Ward 100 last month. (“Action plan for baboons,” DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, 2 September).

No help inside homes

When asked about emergency protocols for active home invasions, Andrews said there is no City protocol to intervene inside private residences.

Clarifying the purpose of the municipal hotline, he explained that the service records incidents, identifies hotspots and trends, and informs strategic management actions such as raising awareness, waste enforcement and coordinating with relevant authorities.

Regarding safety measures for residents threatened by aggressive animals, Andrews highlighted that preventative safety guidelines were distributed to Ward 100 residents.

The City emphasised that prevention is key. Guidelines advise residents to not feed baboons as it is illegal, to remove food attractants, to baboon-proof bins, and to install burglar bars, among other measures.

Under CapeNature regulations, it’s illegal to harm, kill, capture or move baboons without a permit. Discharging a firearm in urban areas is prohibited under police regulations and unlawful firearm use may lead to criminal prosecution under the Firearms Control Act.

For interim safety, the City’s current strategy focuses on reducing attractants and managing waste, while encouraging residents to continue logging all sightings on the hotline for record-keeping.