Blue Monkeys are making an early return to Randfontein this year, with a couple spotting one roaming at Tambotie Mall.
Resident Eleanor Theron and her husband were in the parking area on January 9 when they saw the little primate frolicking about.
According to Eleanor, the monkey used the posts to climb onto the roof of the mall.
“My husband saw the monkey first. He then took out his phone to take a picture of it,” Eleanor stated.
She added that she saw multiple posts on a community group on social media that monkeys are indeed seen constantly. She suspects that the monkeys travel through Randfontein areas in search of food.
“My advice is to not feed these animals. If people feed the animals they will want to stay in Randfontein and that could be dangerous since people could drive them over. If the monkey is on your premises, keep your pets away. Also, keep your windows and doors shut. The monkey will move on eventually. Let us as a community be more conscious of animals and try to keep them safe,” she said.
This can be considered a regular occurrence in town. On January 5, 2017, the Herald was informed that a monkey was sitting in front of a local business on Homestead Avenue in Homelake. In 2015, Dries de Jager, a resident of Helikon Park, also spotted a monkey in his yard.
Manager of the RandWest SPCA René van Straten advised the public to refrain from trying to catch, feed or interact with the monkeys.
“If any monkeys are seen injured, kindly contact 011 412 3114.”
