The South African Police Service (SAPS) will begin a pilot program for body-worn cameras in April, introducing 100 cameras annually for the next five years. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and accountability but faces criticism for its slow rollout and potential for insufficient funding.
South African Police Service ( SAPS ) will begin a pilot body-worn camera project in April, introducing at least 100 body-worn cameras into the force annually for the next five years. This initiative, aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability within the police service, was announced by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu in a written response to a parliamentary question from Democratic Alliance MP Mzamo Billy.
Mchunu stated that the phased approach will allow for the gradual integration of this technology across different police units, ensuring a smooth transition and effective implementation. The estimated cost per body-worn camera is R28,818, meaning the project will cost a minimum of R2.9 million per year and R14.4 million over five years. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticized the plan to deploy only 100 bodycams annually, deeming it insufficient considering the nearly 179,000 police officers in South Africa. DA MP Billy expressed concern that the risk of this initiative being undermined by preventable losses is high without proper tracking and accountability measures. He warned that without these safeguards, the rollout could dwindle to almost none within a few years.The bodycam initiative was first proposed by former Police Minister Bheki Cele in 2019, but setting a specific implementation date took considerable time. According to a report in The Citizen, SAPS finally issued a request for information in November 2024. As part of this initiative, the police aim to collaborate with municipalities and businesses to utilize live camera feeds as a supplementary tool in their crime-fighting strategies. This initiative aligns with President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent call for a technological overhaul of various government sectors, including the police service. During his State of the Nation address earlier this month, Ramaphosa highlighted several tech-driven initiatives, such as the revamp of the gov.za platform, the digitization of home affairs, and the establishment of a digital forensics lab. It now rests with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to allocate the necessary funds for these projects. However, Mchunu acknowledged that the overall budget for procuring body-worn cameras will depend on available funding, stating that the SAPS budget is currently facing significant pressure due to emerging priorities and other critical needs.
BODYCAMS SAPS SOUTH AFRICA POLICE REFORM TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY FUNDING
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