The City plans to police Cape Town with R50 million worth of CCTV cameras in efforts to curb crime. This is a proposal in the draft budget for the new financial year for 2022/2023. The proposal is expected to see significant investments in areas that are not currently covered, such as Baden Powell Drive, or additional CCTV resources in areas with some existing infrastructure.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, said the City is committed to increasing its contribution to public safety through human and technological resources, and the proposed investment in CCTV for the next financial year speaks to that commitment.
“It is widely accepted that cameras do act as a deterrent to crime and anti-social behavior, but they are also a force multiplier, providing crucial intelligence and guidance to officers on the ground. More than that, our CCTV operators are able to sound the alarm and dispatch appropriate resources, whether to an incident of crime, an accident scene or a fire,” he said.
Among the areas on the list are Baden Powell Drive, CBD’s in Goodwood, Wynberg, Kuils River and Parow. Nolungile and Nonkqubela stations, Hanover Park, Manenberg, and Nyanga are on the list, too.
The City referenced an incident where a CCTV operator detected a young boy standing along Main Road in Green Point crying. The operator dispatched police officers attached to the Camera Response Unit to investigate. They interviewed the boy, who stated that he had been separated from his parents. The officers managed to get hold of the father and reunited the boy with his family.
They said between January 2021 and the end March 2022, their CCTV operators detected 290 incidents of cable damage/vandalism and/or theft, resulting in 39 arrests.
“This particular success is bittersweet, because sadly, like many other critical services, the City’s CCTV infrastructure is often targeted by criminals. This of course leaves areas without that vital eye in the sky, often repeatedly or for prolonged periods in areas where cable theft is rife.” Smith appealed to residents to help safeguard the infrastructure in their communities by blowing the whistle on criminals and vandals.
