Gauteng government employing tech to fight crime

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has issued a stern warning to criminals that more initiatives will be rolled out to fight against crime in the frontline in the province.

This is as Lesufi signed a memorandum with private CCTV company VumaCam which will see almost 7 000 cameras placed in townships, suburbs, informal settlements, roads, schools, and other public places to fight crime in Gauteng.

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In addition to this, 3 000 more crime prevention wardens will join the 6,000 unveiled last year.

GOVERNMENT STRENGTHENS ITS EFFORTS AGAINST CRIME

Lesufi said there was a high crime rate in the province which required the government to strengthen its efforts.

While speaking to Newzroom Afrika, he said they will not fold their arms and watch crime run amok in the province. 

“We have an integrated approach in fighting crime, crime in Gauteng is out of control. We can’t fold our arms and say we cannot intervene because society is going to blame us for intervening.  We are going to push the frontiers of crime in our province. We can’t sit back while people are dying,” he said.

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GAUTENG RESIDENTS WILL SOON NEED TO REGISTER FOR NEW ‘HIGH-TECH’ NUMBER PLATES

The use of CCTV cameras is part of Gauteng government’s grand plan to use technology to fight crime, a new number plate system will also be launched in April. 

He told eNCA the new number plate system will help in clamping down on crime, as vehicles were at the centre of many incidents. 

“Every crime, especially violent crime, in our province, whether it is a cash-heist, kidnapping, murder, a car is involved and our licensing regime was very bad, so we will launch new number plates in Gauteng from the 1st of April. 

Every person that has a car must re-register and get a new registration number that cannot be copied and is reliable, so that we know what is happening in our province,” Lesufi said.