South Africa’s animal protection community is mourning the death of Steve Smit, founder of Monkey Helpline and a long-time advocate for vervet monkeys.
Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa shared a tribute to Smit, remembering him as a ‘guardian of the vervets’ whose work focused on protecting animals and promoting peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife.
Smit founded Monkey Helpline in 1995 with his partner and fellow co-founder Carol Booth. Over more than three decades, the organisation became a lifeline for injured, orphaned and persecuted vervet monkeys in KwaZulu-Natal.
A lifetime protecting vervet monkeys
According to Monkey Helpline’s records, Smit responded to more than 18 000 rescue call-outs and helped facilitate more than 6 000 releases.
The organisation responded to animals injured by vehicles, dog attacks, electrocution, snares, poison and other forms of human-wildlife conflict.
Smit also placed strong emphasis on education, encouraging communities to understand vervet monkeys and find ways to coexist with wildlife.
For Toni V Brockhoven, chairperson of Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa, Smit’s death is a deeply personal loss.
‘Steve was an incredible man. He was incredibly gentle and totally committed to animal lives and to educating people about how we should live in harmony and coexist, because coexistence is possible,’ Brockhoven said.
She described his death as a loss not only to the animal-protection community, but to South Africa and the wider world.
Smit’s advocacy extended beyond rescue work. Through Animal Rights Africa, he became involved in animal welfare debates, including a 2009 legal challenge concerning the killing of a bull during the Ukweshwama ceremony.
Even in September 2025, Smit continued responding to animals in need. He and fellow rescuer Daniel Stewart rescued three vervet monkeys that had become trapped aboard a cargo vessel offshore.
Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa has extended condolences to Booth, Smit’s family, Monkey Helpline’s team, volunteers and supporters.
The organisation said his legacy should not only be remembered, but continued through efforts to protect animals and promote coexistence.
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Picture: Steve Smit / Facebook
