Sakhile Mokoena

Sakhile Mokoena

A giant male baboon that has been terrorising residents in the sleepy town of Standerton in Mpumalanga was killed by parks officials this week.

The wild animal has been scaring people on the streets at night for the past two months by climbing a 68-metre high tower and "laughing" at parks officials.

But Monday was his last day of tricks

Standerton police spokesman Captain Gauta Nhlapo said the baboon was first spotted two months ago on top of a cellular phone tower.

Parks officials suspect it might have escaped from captivity.

He entered people's yards and opened rubbish bins and there were also claims he had attacked people at night.

Parks officials urged people not to keep wild animals without permits, adding that a baboon that was raised in a domestic environment was likely to attack people and that it could not adapt to the wild.