Major problem with new CCTV law
Specialist investigator Mike Bolhuis believes the new City of Johannesburg (CoJ) CCTV bylaw could result in more information being fed to criminals unless the provincial government can ensure there is no corruption among law enforcement.
The recently promulgated CoJ draft bylaw requires people and companies installing CCTV cameras on private properties with a view of a public area to first apply to the CoJ for approval and register the cameras.
They also specify that no data or information collected through CCTV can be disclosed or shared with anyone not authorised to access that data.
Speaking to SABC News, Bolhuis explained that, in the wrong hands, CCTV feeds could provide criminals with critical information to help them commit crimes.
“Our biggest problem today is information of anything, any human, any institution, any material, you name it, in the hands of criminals,” said Bolhuis.
“Unless the government can guarantee that they are absolutely in the endeavour, non-corrupt, guarantee it has the top and best-qualified people working with the top and best-qualified police … it will never work.”
“There will be corruption, and information is power. It’s being used by cybercriminals as extortion. There are two things criminals want: complete information to commit a crime or complete information to extort,” he added.
Anti-crime activist and Crime Watch presenter Yusuf Abramjee and Vumacam have warned of the bylaw’s potential negative impacts.
“This new bylaw is here totally because social media has made the state’s failures in curbing crime too visible,” Abramjee said.
“I post hundreds of crime videos a month. If it weren’t for social media users like myself, residents would have no idea about the extent of crime in our country.”
“How can they stop me from sharing footage if it is in the public interest?”
Privately owned security camera network Vumacam said the new bylaws create uncertainty surrounding the use of its surveillance technologies and could make it economically unviable.
It warned that the new bylaws limit how private security firms can use CCTV to protect communities.
Vumacam described the move as “a step backwards”.
“As a supporter of lawful, good-faith, and reasonable regulation, Vumacam notes with concern that it sought to provide the city with legally founded insight regarding key aspects of the bylaw prior to its approval and promulgation,” it said.
“However, the final version has not considered this input, and raises concerns about its impact on private CCTV users and security operations.”
Vumacam partners with public law enforcement and private security agencies to provide surveillance and crime-fighting services.
It said the success of these partnerships is a testament to what is achievable when technology and public safety initiatives combine.
“CCTV technology also plays a significant role in combating insurance fraud, the verification of insurance claims, asset protection and recovery, and bylaw enforcement,” said Vumacam.
“However, having considered the promulgated bylaws, Vumacam’s view is that the legislation in its current form places significant, unlawful restrictions on privately owned CCTV cameras, which are onerous and overly restrictive to commercial, private and residential camera owners.”
It believes that prohibiting using CCTV cameras by private businesses will harm various industries in the city. It also believes that it could limit the technology’s efficacy and further growth.
Eblockwatch founder André Snyman said there are numerous examples of criminal acts where the perpetrators would never have been captured without CCTV footage being shared online.
“Security companies and community policing forums using CCTV to track and trace criminals are working,” he said.
Snyman questioned why the CoJ would want to take such a valuable tool away.
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