The Buffalo City Metro has been forced to delay its pilot project to install body surveillance cameras for its traffic and law enforcement officers for two months due to “logistical issues”.
This is despite the city having spent R525,230 of public money to procure 50 cameras to pilot the project by the end of January.
The move is part of the municipality’s plan to make the city safer.
Introducing body surveillance cameras tracks a global trend.
The rollout of the cameras was meant to be in stages, with the procured devices set to be divided among the three regions in the metro.
However, BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said software updates had contributed to the delay.
“We are ready to roll it out and we are excited about it, but we are in the finalisation of last-minute matters.
“We have encountered some logistical issues we did not anticipate, which include software updates.
“We are cautious as we do not want to roll out something which will not be able to operate fully and comprehensively because it will be tested in courts and by the public,” he said.
Ngwenya said he could not disclose further information for security reasons.
According to the city’s tender document, the cameras must include a display resolution of 1920x1080P full high-definition recording with support built-in 4G for live video, Wi-Fi, a GPS module and be able to support two-way audio communication.
They are waterproof-graded and have a minimum of a one-year guarantee against manufacturing faults or defects.
The cameras are accompanied by a maintenance plan which is able to integrate into Microsoft SharePoint for the download of footage for “evidentiary purposes”.
They also include a night vision mode, which can capture up to 10 metres during the evening.
Reasons given by the city’s law enforcement department for the procurement of the bodycams include:
- To increase the safety of both law enforcement officers and the public;
- To improve public trust in officers and relations between officers and the public;
- To enforce officer accountability;
- To discourage bribery and corruption, and
- To enhance transparency.
Ngwenya said the current estimated time for the rollout of the pilot was the end of March.
If everything goes according to plan, the city’s pilot project will coincide with the SAPS’s mooted plans to deploy body-worn cameras for police officers by the start of April.
This was announced by police minister Senzo Mchunu in February.
Former police minister Bheki Cele promised to prioritise body cameras in 2019, but none were procured.
Mchunu confirmed the SAPS would initiate the procurement process, with a target of getting 100 body-worn cameras annually at a cost of about R28,818 each, totalling R2.8m a year.
He said the overall budget for the procurement of body-worn cameras would depend on the availability of funding.
“The SAPS budget is under significant pressure due to emerging priorities and other critical needs.
“We are seeking to balance the demands while striving to enhance our operational capabilities.”
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe had not commented by the time of publication.
In 2023, Cape Town invested R860m in safety technology, equipping 800 officers, including traffic police, with bodycams and installing 290 dashboard-mounted cameras, or dashcams, in vehicles.
The package included the introduction of cameras with automated number plate technology, a first for SA.
Daily Dispatch
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