Every speed camera in Joburg – Where they are and when they’ll catch you

There are at least 52 major roads in Johannesburg that have one or more fixed speed cameras placed somewhere along the route.

This is according to information compiled on the Speed Camera Data Base (SCBD), a website that catalogues the location and speed requirement for every camera in more than 111 countries around the world.

How a speed camera works

South Africa has three different types of speed cameras, but the ones that motorists will be most familiar with are the fixed poles that are usually painted bright yellow for visibility.

One type of fixed speed trap functions with the use of piezoelectric strips that are laid out across the monitored road.

The strips can read mechanical or thermal inputs from vehicles driving overhead, which are converted to electrical signals that are broadcast to the camera nearby.

If a person is speeding when they drive over the strip, it will trigger the device to take a photo of the car and its plates.

The other method involves a radar-based system that fires radio waves at passing vehicles, which are then bounced back to the camera.

These signals map a change in frequency as a car travels over a set distance, letting the device determine whether the individual is speeding.

To issue a fine, fixed cameras must record the following data points:

• Date of offence
• Time of offence
• Location code
• Speed measured
• No obstructions apparent
• At least two photographs indicating the vehicle’s position with a clear image of the number plate

If this information is not provided, a fine may be considered invalid.

It should be noted that fixed cameras are not required to have sign placements warning of an upcoming speed trap.

What to look out for

Below is a list of all the fixed speed cameras in Johannesburg and its suburbs.

Most of these are designed to catch motorists at a certain speed, but a few are also placed at traffic stops to record when someone goes through a red light.

Bear in mind that longer roads may have multiple cameras on them, which is indicated by the listings with multiple speed limits.