Vumacam announces big Jo’burg expansion drive

A week after announcing plans for an aggressive expansion in Ekurhuleni on Gauteng’s East Rand, Vumacam has unveiled a R60-million plan to densify its Johannesburg coverage and to work with partners to fight the growing scourge of crime in the city.

The CCTV operator, which has deployed thousands of security poles across Gauteng – mainly in Johannesburg – said on Friday that it has launched a “SafeCity” initiative that will include the deployment of a further 1 850 cameras across Jo’burg.

The expansion plan includes:

• Funds to “light up”, install and maintain 1 850 new cameras across Johannesburg. Of these, 350 new installations are earmarked to cover poorly protected areas such Alexandra, Soweto and Diepsloot. New cameras will also be deployed to protect “strategic, critical public infrastructure” and high-crime areas such as the Braamfontein Spruit. “This area will be protected in collaboration with City Parks,” Vumacam said.
• Support for the Eyes and Ears Initiative (E2), a joint crime-fighting initiative between the South African Police Service (SAPS), Business Against Crime South Africa and the private security industry.
• Greater city-wide access for Vumacam’s security partners to camera networks outside of their standard areas of operation – “a critical requirement where investigations or urgent responses are required”.

“As criminals become increasingly sophisticated, greater coordination and efficiency in intervention becomes critical,” said Vumacam CEO Ricky Croock in a statement. “While Vumacam and private security companies support the SAPS daily, E2 employs a far more coordinated approach and is a critical part of Vumacam’s mission to ensure smarter, safer cities.

A hi-tech E2 “fusion centre” was launched in Johannesburg last year to monitor for criminal activity and events, and deploys resources to investigate crimes or apprehend criminals.

The SafeCity model can “easily be applied in major cities across the country,” Croock said. “The launch coincides with our expansion into Mogale City, Ekurhuleni and KwaZulu-Natal, and we also hope to move into Tshwane and Cape Town with the municipalities’ support.”  — © 2022 NewsCentral Media