“Baboon Lives Matter”: Cape Town Protesters March Against Baboon Killing, Cause Confuses SA

• Several people in Simon's Town, Western Cape, gathered to show support for the baboons in the area
• The protesters were against the decision to remove five troops of baboons and shared their thoughts on the matter
• One of the protesters seemingly likened the removal to an apartheid act, confusing South African social media users

A group of animal rights activists went to Simon's Town, Western Cape, to protest against the killing of baboons in the area. However, what they had to say during their protest left many online viewers confused.

According to a report from IOL on 20 July, the protest took form after the Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team stated that there was a possibility of the removal of almost a quarter of managed baboons. The task team noted that removing the troops was a result of increased human-baboon conflict and reliance on human food, among other reasons.

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As people gathered in Simon's Town, chants such as "Baboon lives matter" and "Viva baboons" were heard throughout the streets.

TikTok user and writer Mandilakhe Tshwete uploaded the clip to her account, showing an emotional woman stating that the death of the baboons was "a betrayal of the people of South Africa." She also found it upsetting that more people had not joined the protest.

"Everyone in Cape Town should be here fighting for the baboons."

Another activist came to the fore and stated:

"Simon's Town experienced really violent forced removals of black and brown South Africans because of the Group Areas Act. We've learned from that pain and are still trying to survive that trauma. Is this something we want to project into the more-than-human world?"

What is the Group Areas Act?

The history website South African History Online explains that the apartheid government's Group Areas Act of 1950 was aimed at eliminating mixed neighbourhoods in favour of ones that were racially segregated. The Act limited property rights and allowed the government to create 'group areas,' where only certain races could live.

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Many Black (African, coloured and Indian) people were displaced, breaking up families, friends, and communities.

March for baboons confuses Mzansi

Thousands of local members of the online community headed for the comment section with confusion as to why the group was prioritising baboons and not other national crises.

Many also tried to figure out why one of the protesters mentioned the Group Areas Act to the crowd, given the hardships people endured during that era.

@lwazi.choma asked social media users:

"Did he compare the black and brown history of South African people to baboon conservation?"

A frustrated @fridafishfry exclaimed:

"Likening forced removals to baboon conservation is insane!"

@guy.maponyane4 added their opinion in the comments:

"You won't see them during a march for inequality, racism, unemployment, gender-based violence, etc. We live in different worlds."

@coyoacan176 noted to the public:

"It is absolutely possible to advocate for more than one just cause at a time. One doesn't negate the other, but where is this energy for Khayelitsha? The Cape Flats? PEOPLE? Poor people, abused people, abused women and children? Come on, man."

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@average.clickbaiter was one of a few who supported the group, sharing:

"Guys, these are activists. Just because they don't support your views doesn't make them less important. They have a goal like every other group does."

@trevino_naicker added humour to the situation, writing:

"We have bigger problems. The price of Pringles hasn't come down."

Take a look at the TikTok video here.

3 Other stories about baboons

• In another article, Briefly News reported about a viral video showing a baboon wearing jean shorts plucking a chicken's feathers. The chicken didn't seem to mind their interaction, leading Mzansi to call it a "toxic relationship".
• A troop of baboons stunned Cape Town residents when the primates were spotted roaming freely through the streets. Their appearance on the ground is believed to be linked to mountain fires.
• A Facebook video showed the hilarious moment of a man guiding baboons over a zebra crossing. The humorous video amused many local social media users, who cracked jokes about the situation.

Source: Briefly News