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SK11, the male chacma baboon better known as Kataza, was taken from Kommetjie by the municipality in August and transferred to Tokai.
A resident volunteer orders Kataza the baboon as he wanders through the Tokai suburb on October 17, 2020. Image: Lizell Persens / EWN
CAPE TOWN – After more than 70 days, the much-loved Cape Town baboon will soon be reunited with his family of Slangkop troops in Kommetjie.
SK11, the male chacma baboon better known as Kataza, was taken from Kommetjie by the municipality in August and transferred to Tokai.
The decision sparked outrage among animal rights activists and the general public and led to an animal activist filing court documents.
Now, the city of Cape Town has agreed to return the animal to its native troop.
10 weeks have passed and SK11 will finally be returning home to their Kommetjie family.
Animal activist Ryno Engelbrecht has played a key role in making this happen as he fought against the popular baboon’s initial relocation.
He said he had agreed to withdraw his application to the Western Cape Superior Court as soon as Kataza returned home.
“You need to put your feet on Slgkop first and I need confirmation of that and I need to withdraw my application and that’s in terms of the agreement.
Once captured, Kataza will first be evaluated by a vet. If medical attention is required, you may have to remain in captivity longer.
Engelbrecht said that if not, there would be nothing to get in the way of returning immediately.
“This is a being that has been ripped from his family. The babies died when the alpha male of that troop ripped him from his family. I think there were better ways to deal with this than the way this was treated, but that’s in retrospect “.
Engelbrecht added that he hoped the baboon handling protocols could change to prevent a situation like this from happening again.
WATCH: Cape Town residents approach court to block baboon relocation
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