South African city of Cape Town is adopting new technology to fight crime, with 860 million rand ($ 44 million) set to be allocated over the next three years for security surveillance.
The Western Cape province has the highest murder rate in South Africa, with a 2022 report ranking Cape Town as the 11th most dangerous city in the world.
As part of the roll-out, around 800 officers will be equipped with bodycams and dashboard-mounted cameras installed in 290 police vehicles, according to Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
"In the next couple of years, this technology will be standard across our safety services to make Cape Town safer," said Hill-Lewis
Taxi strike
It comes in the wake of last month's paralysing strike by minibus taxis in response to what drivers said was "heavy-handed tactics" by police. It led to widespread looting and extensive property damage that left five people dead.
Police say one of the deaths is being investigated as a murder case.
According to Hill-Lewis, body-worn cameras and other crime-busting technology will enhance officers' safety by increasing situational awareness through live-streaming, while also serving as a deterrent to potential perpetrators.
The measures will additionally help safeguard the public and city staff when claims are made against them, helping "maintain transparency and accountability collected from the footage."
'Crucial footage'
“Digital evidence is vital in the prosecution of offenders, and we are expecting the body-worn cameras on officers to provide crucial footage that can be used in court, ensuring a higher rate of successful convictions,” he added.
Nyanga community police forum (CPF) chairperson Dumisani Qwebe applauded the new surveillance measures.
"The township areas need this so badly. For far too long, we have been labelled as a no-go area because of the level of crime taking place here,” stated Qwebe. “It's sad that daily, residents are falling victim to crimes, and the perpetrators often don't get apprehended.”
The city's investments over the next three years include R118.4 million on CCTV, R118 million on dashcams and bodycams, R22 million on drones and R10 million on gunshot location technology.
