Is Cape Town becoming a CCTV state? 'Criminals must know big brother is always watching'

Lester Kiewit spoke to Councillor Mzwakhe Nqavashe, Chairperson of the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee at the City of Cape Town.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

There are close to 2,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras currently operated by the City of Cape Town in its fight against crime.

From burglaries to hijackings and theft using wheelie bins, these cameras focus on several activities, says Nqavashe.

"It's important because it not only gives us a view on criminality per se but also on a suspected lost child, an accident..."

- Mzwakhe Nqavashe - Safety and Security Portfolio Committee Chairperson, City of Cape Town

The City's Metro Police Strategic Surveillance Unit recently announced that it's recorded 454 CCTV-related arrests during the last financial year, compared to 312 arrests in the previous year – marking a 45% increase.

There has also been a 63% increase in the number of incidents detected via CCTV - from 22,498 to 43, 457.

Nqavashe points out that while the City can't rely on CCTV cameras alone, it's a valuable tool.

"It is one of the tools that is used to detect criminality, to assist policing, but it's not the ultimate tool to completely stop the commission of crime."

- Mzwakhe Nqavashe - Safety and Security Portfolio Committee Chairperson, City of Cape Town

"Criminals must know that big brother is always watching."

- Mzwakhe Nqavashe - Safety and Security Portfolio Committee Chairperson, City of Cape Town

Scroll up to listen to the full interview.