Gauteng adds nearly 200 CCTV security cameras

The Gauteng Department of e-Government has installed 193 CCTV cameras in Townships, Informal Settlements, and Hostels (TISH) areas across the province.

In a statement, the department also revealed that through its partnership with Vumacam, it now has access to 6,299 cameras of the 6,399 cameras it targeted.

The department said this latest expansion followed its successful first two phases of the project, which saw the deployment of 300 cameras at TISH areas in the province.

It plans to install 100 more cameras by the Gauteng Provincial Government’s financial year-end, 31 March 2025.

“The continuous efforts to enhance surveillance are part of a broader strategy to a create safer and more resilient Gauteng,” the department said.

Gauteng MEC for e-Government, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, expressed his satisfaction regarding the latest expansion, adding that surveillance technology is critical to ensuring public safety.

“The expansion of CCTV surveillance in our townships and informal settlements is a key part of ensuring a safer Gauteng,” said Dhlamini.

“We remain committed to improving the lives of our people through strategic technology solutions, and these security solutions are essential to achieving that goal.”

Lebogang Seroba, a community member from Sedibeng, shared her views on the benefits of these initiatives, adding that there have been tangible improvements.

“The increase in surveillance cameras in our area has made a huge difference. We feel safer, it’s clear that the government is committed to looking out for us,” said Seroba.

The Gauteng Department of e-Government says its partnership with Vumacam has significantly accelerated the deployment of CCTV cameras in the province’s metros.

“To date, the department has been given access to 6,299 cameras out of the 6,399 targeted. This gives more expansion of surveillance networks in high-priority areas of the province,” it said.

In October 2024, Vumacam chief commercial officer Michael Varney said the surveillance system had helped deter crime in hotspots and intercept criminals.

Its collaboration with law enforcement led to the apprehension of several individuals involved in crimes like traffic light tampering, cable theft, and hi-jacking.

“Our network has been densified in specific areas. As soon as the network goes live, you then see the crime move out of the area,” said Varney.

“Although we are not everywhere, our plan is to continue to densify our network across crime hotspots specifically. We are definitely seeing the prevention of crime and the interception of a lot of the criminals that have been involved.”

He explained that the system uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect unusual activity and report it to the relevant authorities.

Vumacam applies an AI analytic to its camera feeds, which identifies unusual behaviour around traffic lights and notifies security and law enforcement players.

“If you have people loitering around a traffic light for longer than would be normal for a pedestrian to be waiting to cross the road, for instance, an alert is created,” said Varney.

“That alert presents itself in both private security control rooms as well as the public sector. Depending on the standard operating procedure, we are able to dispatch the closest vehicle in the area to go see what is happening.”