In a move hailed as a long-overdue step toward transparency and accountability, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu announced this week that the South African Police Service (SAPS) will begin rolling out the use of body cameras as early as April 1.

This announcement, made during a parliamentary session in response to a question by the DA, has been met with widespread approval from unions and political parties.

Despite the expenditures involved, the rollout has garnered broad support and is said to be consistent with improved policing procedures, ensuring that contacts between officers and the public are documented for both accountability and protection.

During the initial phase, the SAPS plans to procure 100 body cameras, with each unit costing approximately R29 000. The total investment for the rollout amounts to nearly R2.88 million for the first year and is projected to reach R14.4 million over the next five years.

Reacting to this development, crime activist, Yusuf Abramjee welcomed the rollout plan but lamented the price tag, saying: “Body cameras are long overdue. I have said for years that we need to follow the model of various other countries where it works effectively.

“The evidence of body cameras is very important in the court of law and the quicker the police implement it, the better. However, R29 000 sounds excessive and I am not sure how this compares to other countries.”

Mzamo Billy, DA’s parliamentary member of the Select Committee on Security and Justice, indicated that this will help strengthen public confidence in the police while also protecting officers from false accusations.

“The use of body cameras is a vital tool for enhancing trust in policing. It also helps prevent frivolous claims and lawsuits against officers,” said Mzamo.

Mzamo also said the DA remains concerned by the cost associated with the rollout as each body camera costs no less than R29 000 while the target of only 100 cameras per year is insufficient to impact the fight against crime properly.

“Although the high cost is a concern, the value for money from this initiative can be easily realised if implemented transparently and efficiently.

“While this is a positive step, given that there are nearly 179 000 police officers in South Africa, the deployment of only 100 body-worn cameras this year is insufficient and could delay the full benefits of this initiative,” he added.

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), through its president, Thulani Ngwenya, added its voice in support of the initiative, saying: “As Popcru, we are for every technological advances that will empower police in doing their work. Body cams will also assist in capturing evidence that would yield fruitful results when they have to present evidence in the court of law.”

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za