At a very well attended public meeting on Friday 9th, the Pringle Bay Ratepayers’ Association (PBRA) Chairman Gert Bam highlighted the fact that there was no plan or budget by the Overstrand Municipality for urban baboon management beyond December 2024. This, despite the PBRA requesting that Baboon Management (BM) be extended; and that 143 of the 172 comments received from ratepayers on the OM budget throughout the Overstrand, specifically requested the BM programme be extended beyond 2024.
The current Baboon Management Plan is the result of community input and a joint management agreement between different spheres of government, namely Municipal, Provincial, and Cape Nature. The PBRA Executive Committee convened a public meeting of all ratepayers in the community hall on Friday, requesting support from ratepayers for a mandate to interact with the authorities, and to urge them to continue the Baboon Management Plan beyond December 2024, together with a sustainable, requisite funding model.
That this is an enduring and contentious issue in Pringle Bay, indeed across the Overstrand, was plain for all to see, evidenced by the exceptional attendance of the meeting, and the number of proxies received from ratepayers who weren’t able to attend. The mandate was adopted unopposed by ratepayers present, supporting the initiation of a campaign by the PBRA Executive.
You would be forgiven for thinking that this is the only thing that matters to Pringle Bayers, given the amount of social media “ping pong” about baboon matters, harsh language and commentary of a conflicted group of people. But this couldn’t be further from the truth: most of us moved to Pringle Bay for the paradise it represents, and is generally a peaceful, friendly village. No one disputes the beauty of our surrounds, and that baboons form part of an abundance of fauna and flora worthy of preservation. There are many community projects, supported by a plethora of willing volunteers, undertaken by the PBRA, as highlighted by the Conservation Portfolio: conservation of our cultural and natural heritage, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Projects include the planting of fynbos within the village centre and beyond, a beach rescue plan, the protection of our dark, night skies by limiting light pollution, and so much more.
We are not of the opinion that “any press is good press”; and the promotion of safe, positive tourist experiences is essential. Tourism has a direct link to the economic impact on the Village, and Pringle Bay deserves a place on the “must visit” list, where visitors are welcomed to this coastal gem, supporting local businesses and enjoying the haven we call home.
