“Slippery Slope”: SA Chimes In As Cape Town Plans AI Cameras To Catch Drivers on Phones

• Cape Town is seeking legal approval to roll out AI-powered traffic cameras aimed at improving road safety by identifying specific driving violations
• The proposed technology has sparked debate nationwide, with motorists and civil liberties advocates raising concerns about privacy, accuracy, and how enforcement would be managed
• The discussion comes amid ongoing concerns about South Africa’s poor road safety record and whether technology alone can address deeper behavioural and enforcement challenges

Cape Town’s move to introduce artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled traffic cameras to detect motorists using mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts has been met with scepticism and concern from drivers and civil liberties advocates across South Africa.

According to News24, the City of Cape Town is awaiting approval from the National Director of Public Prosecutions to roll out AI cameras designed to automatically identify and fine drivers violating seatbelt and cellphone laws. The technology, which was tested last year and issued fines, aims to improve road safety by using machine learning to analyse vehicle images and behavioural cues.

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However, many South Africans are unimpressed with the plan, raising questions about privacy, fairness, and accuracy. Online discussion forums show motorists mocking what they see as "surveillance-state tactics" and expressing distrust in how the technology will be managed, with some users warning of false positives and technical errors if human review isn’t guaranteed.

The backlash comes amid broader concerns about road safety in the country. Recent data shows South Africa remains one of the most dangerous countries to drive in globally, with low seatbelt use and high rates of traffic deaths. According to research reported by Daily Dispatch, only about 31 % of front seat passengers wear seatbelts, underscoring the challenge authorities face.

Advocates for the cameras argue the technology could help enforce traffic laws more consistently and save lives. But critics say without transparent protocols, accessible evidence for contested fines, and safeguards for motorists’ rights, the rollout may erode public trust without addressing deeper issues of road behaviour.

As Cape Town pushes ahead with legal processes for approval, the debate highlights the tension between innovation in law enforcement and the need for accountability and transparency.

SA chimes in on the introduction of AI for road safety

The online community reacted after Reddit user MalemasMucusPlug uploaded the article to his page on 29 January 2026.

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Redsap said:

"Maybe they should use these fancy cameras to focus on taxis first to see if the tech actually works (both identification and the ensuing enforcement). Otherwise, it's just a total waste of money, privacy concerns aside."

Jaseto88 added:

"Slippery slope."

SortByMistakes wrote:

"Right, because these work so well in other countries. The rate of false positives on these things is laughable. If we had a competent government where you could easily appeal this thing and have it sorted quickly and for free, this could maybe work. I also highly doubt these penny-pinching people will opt to have human reviewers sifting through all the fines to catch false positives. As things stand right now, I can't imagine this working. I can already imagine the large-scale vandalism/theft of these cameras."

Inferno_ZA commented:

"Gets installed for good reasons. Gets used for bad reasons yet to be disclosed."

Take a look at the post.

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More on taxis on the road by Briefly News

• A video capturing a taxi driver engaging in reckless driving has triggered widespread outrage among South Africans on social media.
• Social media users were left fuming after a video surfaced showing a taxi engaging in reckless driving, causing chaos on a busy South African road.
• A video message from a concerned citizen has gone viral, sparking intense emotions and debate about the Vaal taxi crash that claimed the lives of 13 school children.

Source: Briefly News