Baboon snatches groceries from shoppers

From Thupeyo Muleya in BEITBRIDGE

A HUGE male baboon has descended on the Old Limpopo Bridge at Beitbridge Border Post where it is terrorising shoppers, especially pedestrians, and snatching away their groceries.

People who spoke to The Herald said the baboon mostly targets women and children and does this in broad daylight.

"The animal has become a problem. It snatched groceries from my children after scaring them with fierce sounds," said a Beitbridge woman, who identified herself only as MaMoyo.

MaMoyo said truck drivers tried to assist her children but to no avail.

In separate interviews, people who regularly pass through the bridge confirmed the incidents.

They said the daring baboon even reaches into vehicles to grab groceries from motorists, particularly elderly women that it deems soft targets.

"Responsible authorities should act on this matter as many people are losing valuable groceries to this baboon," said Amai Sibanda of Gweru.

Police and other security arms operating around the border post confirmed the baboon’s reign of terror.

"This has been going on since last year. The baboon had vanished only to resurface this week," said a police officer.

He said sometimes they scare the animal away with picks and stones but the undeterred baboon always returns.

Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Retired Major Edward Mbewe said while stories about the baboon’s shenanigans had filtered to them, no official report had yet been lodged with them.

"Yes, we have heard of such incidents, but we are going to act as soon as we get a formal report. Definitely we are going to deal with such problem animals," said Ret Maj Mbewe.

It is understood the baboon had been causing mayhem at the bridge since April last year. It vanished after being scared away by security personnel at the border post only to resurface last week.

Early this year, a male baboon was shot dead by Parks officials after it had attacked mourners at a funeral in Dulibadzimu Township.

Don't you just love it! There is no problem until a report is actually filed, then it is official and a solution can be found, undoubtedly after several meetings and conferences. I'll bet if someone just shot it, there would be a world of trouble for the poor do-gooder.

A modern-day real-life troll. If it weren't in Africa I'd expect the story to be dated April 1.

Used to stop at a service station/tuckshop on the Vic Falls highway at Hwange that had a bunch of Baboons that were very bold and quite frankly scary especially one big male. You did not really want to stand around with anything to eat, just get in the truck and leave. Funny thing was there was a station on both corners of the road leading to Hwange but I only saw them at the one station.

Sounds like all miscreants on the streets the world over. Prey on the weak and helpless and getting away with it.

Nothing happened to the Zimbabwe baboon that was snatching property a few years back.