SAPS Body-Worn Camera Rollout Stalled as SITA Forced to Re-advertise Bid
- Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia confirmed in a parliamentary response that SAPS body-worn cameras have no set rollout timeline
- SAPS had a deviation application rejected, forcing SITA to restart the procurement process from the bidding stage
- The DA accused the ministry of failing on its 2024 commitment to begin deploying cameras during the 2025/26 financial year
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SOUTH AFRICA — The rollout of body-worn cameras to South African police officers remains without a confirmed timeline after a procurement setback left the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) having to re-advertise the tender from scratch.
According to IOL, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia disclosed the situation in a written parliamentary reply to Democratic Alliance MP Mzamo Billy. Cachalia confirmed that SAPS submitted a deviation application to bypass standard procurement procedures, but the application was rejected. SITA must now advertise the bid competitively before a service provider can be selected and a national deployment plan drawn up.
KZN officers still without cameras
Officers in KwaZulu-Natal have not received any body-worn cameras, and no provincial rollout has commenced. The process is currently stalled at the contracting phase, meaning operational members in the field continue to work without the equipment.
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Despite R14 million being set aside for body-worn and vehicle dashboard cameras in the 2025/26 financial year, procurement delays have prevented any disbursement of the technology. Billy criticised the ministry, arguing that officials were sheltering behind bureaucratic processes rather than fulfilling a commitment made in 2024 to begin deployment during the current financial year.
He stressed that the cameras are critical for preserving evidence, improving transparency, and shielding honest officers from false allegations.
March 2025 operation under scrutiny
Cachalia also used the parliamentary response to address questions about an operation that took place on 20 March 2025. He explained that no formal operational plan was drawn up because the action was an ad hoc response to information received from Crime Intelligence.
Specific details relating to firearm discharges during the operation were withheld, as the matter forms part of an ongoing Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) investigation. Disciplinary functionaries were formally appointed on 11 February 2026 following an internal probe into the officers involved in the operation.
The camera procurement delay adds further pressure on the ministry, which has faced sustained scrutiny from opposition parties over policing accountability measures and the pace of reform within SAPS.
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DA slams SAPS bill sidelining metro police
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the Democratic Alliance's criticism of the newly introduced South African Police Service Amendment Bill, which they argue fails to adequately empower municipal metro police departments in combating crime. The DA contends that this legislation overlooks the potential resources within metropolitan jurisdictions that could significantly enhance law enforcement capabilities.
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Source: Briefly News
