Some of SA’s police officers to have body cameras from April, confirms Mchunu

JOHANNESBURG - Some of the country's police officers will have body cameras from 1 April.

Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu confirmed this in a parliamentary response to questions posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The police ministry said it planned on buying 100 cameras per year at a cost of about R29,000 each.

DA parliamentary member, Mzamo Billy, who serves on the select committee on security and justice, said this was a positive step towards police transparency.

"We want to urge the minister and the South African police to prioritise the urgent implementation of this initiative by accelerating the rollout and ensuring that there is proper training for our officers. The DA does believe the use of body cameras is vital for enhancing transparency, accountability and public trust in policing."

Mzamo said that body-worn cameras would also assist police in being able to defend itself against such claims.

"We do believe it's a vital tool to also support police officers on the ground to avoid frivolous claims and lawsuits by malicious individuals. We welcome this initiative and hope the minister will ensure there is proper deployment and that there is value for the cost of this initiative."