Tshwane vows to fix broken CCTV cameras in CBD
The City of Tshwane has given an assurance that the CCTV cameras that have been broken for eight months are in the process of being fixed.
The assurance follows complaints by the police that the non-functioning cameras are making it harder to fight crime in the area.
The city’s community safety MMC Karen Meyer says that while the CCTV cameras are an integral part of the fight against crime, it does not replace the work of the police.
"The CCTV operations cannot and does not replace the core function of SAPS and I think that should be highlighted. This - and by this I mean the CCTV - is a tool that supplements the efforts of the metro police and assists the SAPS in combat and investigating crime, so to shift the blame is totally… I don't even have a word for that."
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She says it is still the police's responsibility to investigate incidents of crime.
"We know that that there's a problem and we are trying to address it with this current service provider. We highlighted the fact that the city centre there's a massive hole that needs to be filled. Fact still remains that SAPS should come to the table and play their part."
At the same time Meyer refutes claims that there a more than 100 broken cameras in the CBD.
"I don't want to give you a specific number otherwise I’d be lying, but there's a smaller a number of cameras not operational than operational."
Meyer says the damage to cameras has been due to weather, theft and vandalism.
“There was a delay in addressing this because the service provider tender has not been finalised however the existing service provider’s contract was extended in the interim to deal with these issues."
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