Durban CBD, beachfront CCTV camera shocker

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Durban - Concerns have been raised about the state of the CCTV cameras in the city after an oversight visit revealed that only 91 of the more than 200 CCTV cameras erected in the Durban CBD and beachfront areas are operational. And with school holidays only a day away, the Democratic Alliance is calling on the matter to be given urgent attention. DA councillor, Sharmaine Shewshanker said their team recently conducted an oversight inspection at the city's Disaster Management Unit and Emergency Services Control Centre. Shewshanker said they found that 75% of the unit's CCTV cameras are non-functional. "Out of the 203 CCTV cameras operating in the Central Durban and Beach Front areas , only 91 were functional As a member of the Safety Emergency and Security Committee, I am deeply concerned that the city's Disaster Management Unit and Emergency Control Center is unable to fulfill its mandate in monitoring of criminal activity via the CCTV cameras installed throughout the city," she said.

Shewshanker said CCTV infrastructure is there to monitor criminal activity and reduce crime-related incidents in eThekwini.

"I am appalled that we giving the residents of eThekwini a fake sense of security. As a municipality it is our responsibility to have basic security measures in place to curb criminal activity around the city. The results of these non functional CCTV cameras places added strain on the cities already under resourced law enforcement units," she said.

Shewshanker said the DA has continuously requested the city to provide time frames for the repairing of non-operational cameras and the regular servicing of the functional one.

"A call that has fallen on deaf ears," she said.

Shewshanker said they will be addressing the matter with the deputy mayor, Belinda Scott, in her role as the chairperson of the Security and Emergency Services Committee.

Older CCTV camera apparatus which has since been upgraded.





The Mercury