The Strategic Surveillance Unit providing the CCTV coverage in Cape Town has become the first law enforcement agency in South Africa to achieve ISO 9001 accreditation.
The accreditation and listing took place on 10 January, 2002 with a formal presentation on 24 January 2002. Starting out as a pilot project in late 1998, the unit - which is owned by the City of Cape Town - is now run and managed by traffic and law enforcement officers. High intensity 24 hour monitoring, coupled with dedicated law enforcement ground response units has resulted in a substantial number of arrests and prosecutions for criminal activity. This led to significantly lower incidents of crime in the areas covered.
In 2001 the city extended a rollout of camera coverage to the crime ridden areas of the Cape Flats. Pleas for assistance in these areas were being received daily from the community. Discussions were held with the SAPS in order to identify areas that had the most pressing needs. In the first phase, cameras were installed in Athlone, Gatesville, Manenberg, Gugulethu and Philippi.
These areas are also the focus of the newly established Cape Town City Police who will provide the response to incidents detected. Simultaneously, a traffic monitoring surveillance system was also installed on the N1 freeway and Durban Road (Tygervalley) in partnership with the Department of Roads & Transport. The city also took control over the Vanguard Drive project, from Sun West. This -corridor of surveillance cameras spans Vanguard drive between the N1 and N2 freeway and provides the link between the Cape Flats system and the system installed on the N1 freeway.
The city's view is to utilise the CCTV system as a holistic tool for all Council branches to benefit the community as a whole. This has led to a change in focus from the traditional crime and safety issues in the city centre. Partnerships are constantly being developed and the issues now being covered include areas as diverse as freeway management, monitoring of informal traders, fire hazards, protest marches, advertising signs, water restrictions, theft and damage to flora, and the direct prosecution of traffic offenders and much more are done on a daily basis.
Furthermore, an innovative inner city bus service aimed at providing a safe environment for commuters and tourists through the use of CCTV on public transport and at bus shelters is in the planning stage. This will be coupled with ITS (intelligent transport systems) allowing waiting commuters to be informed of arrival times of the next bus and enhancing the friendliness and viability of public transport.
For further details contact Craig Donald, Leaderware on tel: (011) 787 7811.
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