Since the Johannesburg Metro Police Department’s (JMPD) partnership with Vumacam commenced in July 2023, the initiative has reported numerous successes in ridding the city’s roads of criminals and unlawful vehicles, as well as in enforcing by-laws.
The partnership saw the JMPD gain access to Vumacam’s close to 8,000 SafeCity CCTV cameras with specialized licence plate recognition technology that are installed in key areas around the metro, such as Alexandra and Soweto, to monitor for illegal and suspicious activities.
In the 100 days that these cameras have been fully integrated into the JMPD’s Integrated Intelligence Operations Centre (IIOC), they have resulted in:
- 39 unlawful vehicles impounded
- 58 arrests
- 104 vehicles intercepted and their occupants questioned and/or apprehended
- 427 by-law violations reported
- 1,342 JMPD vehicles dispatched
The arrests made include those of multiple suspects allegedly involved in shootouts, vehicle thefts, armed robbery, murder, drug busts, fraud scams, and confidence tricks – and firearms were recovered in a number of these apprehensions.
Aside from cleaning up the roads, these cameras have proved helpful in other areas. On 17 September 2023, they detected the Berea building fire and dispatched fire services to the scene, and did the same for the fire at the Usindiso building earlier in the month.
They also played an important role in ensuring a safe environment for the 15th BRICS Summit that was held in the city in August.
“The introduction of Vumacam’s Proof platform into our IIOC has allowed us to increase the number of arrests and apprehensions we make each day,” said Acting Chief of Police Angie Mokasi.
“Vumacam’s advanced technology has also given us the ability to more effectively prevent the contravention of by-laws, as the JMPD and its partners benefit from greater efficiency and the ability to maximise our crime-fighting resources. All City entities are beginning to see the value in the platform as we understand its capabilities and begin to further utilise its potential.”
The City of Tshwane is next
Off the back of its successes in Johannesburg, Vumacam recently announced that it is also expanding its SafeCity initiative to the City of Tshwane.
The first phase of this rollout will see at least 185 overview and 370 licence plate recognition cameras go live in 33 wards by the end of 2023, MyBroadband reports.
Vumacam chief commercial officer Michael Varney said the company believes its network could turn the tide against crime in South Africa’s capital, as it did in Joburg.
“The power of the partnership between Vumacam, the JMPD, and the SAPS via The SafeCity powered by Vumacam Initiative is delivering real results for the people of Gauteng,” said Varney.
“Working closely with our partners, which include key private security and public-sector law enforcement, we have shown that advanced technology is the key to ensuring a robust and rapid response to the crime that plagues our society. We have seen up to 400 interceptions across Gauteng monthly, driven by our advanced technology and the power of collaboration with our partners.”
The densification of the camera network across the provincial regions closes the gaps where criminals could hide, helping those who may not currently benefit from having access to cameras in their area.
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