The Gauteng Provincial Government has installed CCTV cameras in various locations in the province. The Cameras are part of various crime fighting methods that have been introduced to fight crime.
Phases 1 and 2, has delivered 144 and 156 cameras respectively, and the department is on Phase 3 of the project, which includes the deployment of 500 cameras.
Installation of CCTV cameras has mainly focused on TISH (Townships, Informal settlements, and Hostels) areas and busy streets of Johannesburg, which are often hotspots for crime.
Diepsloot, Tembisa, Kagiso, TSAKANE, Khutsong, Ratanda, Sharpville, Sebokeng, Boipatong, Mohlakeng, Krugersdorp, Mamelodi East and Atteridgeville are part of the townships that have benefitted with these cameras.
6 hostels that are owned the Provincial Government namely George Goch, Jeppe Hostel, Denver Hostel, MBA Hostel, Murray and Roberts Hostel[, and Rethabile LTE Hostel and including the Small Street in Joburg CBD, which is notorious for muggings and robberies also benefitted as well.
The CCTV cameras will monitor crime on a 24-hour basis, on major roads, business centres, as well as townships plagued with high criminal activities. The cameras are monitored law enforcement operatives at the Gauteng Safety Command Centre.
MEC for Gauteng Department of e-Government, Research and Development, Mr. Bonginkosi Dhlamini indicated that the CCTV cameras are installed in identified crime hotspots in all the Townships, Informal Settlements and Hostels (TISH).
“It is disheartening that every quarter when crime statistics are delivered, they are always increasing. As Gauteng Government we are supposed to come up with various crime fight mechanisms to deal with crime. We have implemented various initiatives which include panic buttons, crime prevention wardens and CCTV’s in high crime hotspots of the province, “said Dhlamini.
