Cape Town Looks to Technology to Curb Crime, Using Drones, Cameras and Sensors, SA Is Uneasy: “Feels Invasive”

• The City of Cape Town's crimefighting efforts are going high-tech, according to Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis
• Dashcams with numberplate recognition software have already been added to a newly launched 24-hour Highway Patrol Unit
• The city will also use drones and gunshot sensors to monitor crime hotspots in a bid to keep Cape Town residents safe

CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town is moving forward with its tech-driven crimefighting strategy, which will introduce drones, cameras and sensors to Cape Town's police force.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said while the city is still invested in adding additional boots to the ground and increasing visible policing, the city's investment in the safety tech space will make for more efficient and effective police offices.

The tech-led crimefighting plan aligns with the city's plan to have all aspects of government activity digitally transformed and automated. Proving its dedication to this digital-first bias, the city launched a new 24/7 Highway Patrol Unit on 3 November 2022.

Read also

CPT Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis Refuses to Negotiate With “Construction Mafia” terrorising city's housing projects

According to News24, the unit consists of 30 vehicles and 40 officers who will be developed around the clock to mitigate the risk posed by criminals on Cape Town's highways.

The tech-led unit will patrol the freeway, police traffic laws, and respond to incidents spotted by the Freeway Management System cameras. The City intends to quadruple the unit's capacity in the coming fiscal year.

The units' vehicles have also been retrofitted with dashcams and Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology that will enable officers to track motorists with outstanding warrants, identify duplicated or cloned licence plates and alert them to stolen or criminally linked vehicles, Business Insider reported.

The city's high-tech crimefighting plan also includes drone technology and aerial surveillance, which would be used to monitor crime hotspots. Gunshot location technology will also be reintroduced. The tech is a network of audio sensors that can detect where and when a gun is fired, allowing for a quick response from police officers.

Read also

Calls to move Africa's freight back to railway, move could bring billions in investments

South Africans weigh in on Capetowns high-tech crime-fighting plan

Some citizens think the plan is a good initiative, while others think it will not work.

Here are some reactions:

@Medicocre asked:

"Can the ANC pull this off in the Eastern Cape? I want to see something. "

@iamtemba commented:

"Atleast they doing something."

@mpho_wallflower added:

"I don’t know, drones feel very invasive."

@dhb1989 claimed:

"R5 bet its gonna make no difference in the areas that need it most."

@Sagath suggested:

"Joburg has the infrastructure already (Etolls), they can be repurposed to combat crime and benefit the country from them."

CPT Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis refused to negotiate with “construction Mafia” who are holding projects hostage

In another story, Briefly News reported that the Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, took a stand against the so-called construction mafia holding the city's development projects hostage.

Hill-Lewis claimed that the construction mafia disguises itself as well-meaning business forums that seek to effect transformation in the country's economy. In reality, the Cape Town mayor stated that these criminal operations resort to violence against construction workers and equipment if their financial demands aren't met.

Source: Briefly News