Stray baboon shooting: concerned residents unmask identity of shooter
Residents concerned about the killing of a baboon in Westenburg about two weeks ago identified the man who killed the animal as a municipal employee who works in the water and sanitation section.
POLOKWANE – Residents concerned about the killing of a baboon in Westenburg about two weeks ago identified the man who killed the animal as a municipal employee who works in the water and sanitation section.
His identity is known to Review. After Review’s article last week about the stray baboon that was killed in Coverdale Street, readers called to say the man who shot it was gloating about what he had done, and residents sent Review a photograph of the registration number of the vehicle in which the man loaded the baboon after it was killed.
In contradiction with his previous response that none of the relevant municipal units that could respond to such an incident knew about the incident, municipal spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo confirmed that the vehicle in the photograph belonged to the municipality.
“We confirm that the registration number in the photograph forwarded to us belongs to a municipal vehicle in the water and sanitation section. The matter has been forwarded for investigation to establish the circumstances around the incident and what led to the municipal vehicle being at the scene,” Mothapo explained.
Mothapo added that once a call had been received by the municipality regarding wild animals, the municipality would always refer the matter to the department of environmental affairs as they had the capacity to deal with such incidents and capturing of animals.
“The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is engaged to assist with domestic animals,” he said.
The baboon was first spotted at a house on the corner of Coverdale and Southon Street on April 2. He was chased by children in the area and ran across the railway to Rainbow Park.
The following day it was spotted at Evans Headger’s (70) house in Coverdale Street. “I called the Westenburg police for assistance. The police came and called the municipality to assist. An official from the municipality came and chased the baboon. It went to the back of my yard and jumped over the fence. The man jumped over the fence as well and shot the baboon dead,” Headger told Review.
He said after killing the baboon, the man then threw the animal over the wall and carried it to the vehicle and left with the carcass in the back of his vehicle.
