Johannesburg – If you are in the streets of Gauteng be warned somebody is watching you.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on Tuesday unveiled thousands of new surveillance cameras that have gone into operation in a move to fight crime.
“Today we switched on almost 7 000 face recognition cameras across all streets of Gauteng, townships, suburbs, informal settlements and hostels,” the premier said on X.
“A safer Gauteng is emerging. Less talk, more work.”
The development involves the Gauteng Provincial Government and Vumacam.
Persistently high crime rates in Gauteng remain a challenge for law enforcement. It is hoped that the new cameras will enhance their crime-fighting ability.
Vumacam’s security cameras are being installed across Gauteng.
These fibre-connected cameras monitor streets across the province, improving security and preventing crime.
Premier Lesufi said residents simply have to download an App, which they can activate when in distress and the cameras will immediately locate them and alert law enforcers.
“We believe that the alerts from our extensive network delivered through our world-class software platform, and verified by expertly trained operators will result in a new normal in the fight against crime in South Africa’s economic heartland,” said Vumacam CEO, Ricky Croock.
“The launch of our partnership with the Gauteng Provincial Government builds on the success of Vumacam’s partnerships with public entities as we deploy our advanced technology to make the people of Gauteng safer.
“As we continue to foster collaboration to fight crime between the private and public sectors through technology, we continue to invest in and grow our infrastructure and platform.
“This provides lifesaving and actionable intelligence in real time, to those that put their lives on the line every day.
“In this way, we can all help create safer, smarter cities where people, businesses, and tourism can thrive.”
Croock added: “We believe we can help South Africa become a safer place through the power of video and technology, delivered by a centralised platform that connects disparate operators, and that will become the de-facto standard in all control rooms.”
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