A group of people who are passionate about the well-being and correct care of primates.

In Waterfall, KwaZulu Natal as a Safe Haven, providing a forever home for Marmosets, Tamarins and a few other species.

To provide our primates with a safe and enriched environment in big enclosures with as much as possible natural surroundings. A forever happy home, both physical and mentally

To be the leading safe haven in South Africa for abused, neglected and rehomed marmosets and tamarins by giving them a natural, enriched, spacious and loving forever home

To provide the best forever home for the primates in our care, by:

• Supplying a natural habitat in spacious enclosures.
• Providing and changing enrichment to stimulate natural behaviours.
• Giving a well-balanced, nutritional diet.
• Caring for their physical and psychological well-being.

Understanding the individuality of every monkey and being flexible and adaptable in our approach to each one.

The behaviours of the people involved at the EMT Safe Haven will demonstrate the EMT Safe Haven’s Values, which are:

• Care – attention, caution, concern, protection, sensitivity, nurture.
• Compassion – empathy, concern, kindness, gentleness.
• Patience – understanding, persistence, perseverance, calmness.
• Passion – enthusiasm, energy and enjoyment.
• Learning – lifelong learning from a practical and theoretical approach.

The Exclusive Marmoset and Tamarin (EMT) Facebook group was started by Pieter van den Berg in October 2014 and has the slogan, “Inform, Educate, Assist”.

Besides educating, informing and assisting owners and prospective owners of Marmosets and Tamarins, EMT also warns people about the negative attributes to purchasing these primates, works hand-in-hand with organisations to speed up legislation to protect these primates and has agreements with administrators on internet sites (eg: Gumtree and Te Koop) to halt the advertising of monkeys on these sites.

Pieter and Lisa-Anne van den Berg relocated to Botha’s Hill, KwaZulu Natal in November 2013 with one son, two marmosets and three dogs. Late in 2014 they were approached by a couple, who were relocating to New Zealand, to take in their two marmosets which they agreed to.

In 2015, after performing a rescue of a Marmoset from a well-known animal farm in KZN, Pieter and Lisa-Anne van den Berg took a life decision to start a Safe Haven, which saw ten primates arriving at their premises on 24 September 2015.

In February 2016 EMT Safe Haven’s Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Animal Facility Permit was granted.

In December 2016 EMT Safe Haven was registered as a Non-Profit Organisation with the Department of Social Development.

In 2017 the Safe Haven found itself being a forever loving home to Cotton Top Tamarins, Marmosets (black-ears, white ears, hybrids), Lemurs, Sugar Gliders and Squirrel Monkeys.

The Safe Haven’s reputation is growing and has experienced tremendous growth since its inception.

This is the first sanctuary of its kind in KwaZulu Natal.