Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa was under attack over the “large number” non-functional CCTV cameras in the CBD.
The mayor took part in a radio debate in which Power FM presenter Bob Mabena said: “The cameras haven’t been working for several years now – since 2016.”
Locals who spoke to Rekord agreed the CBD was far too dangerous not to have any working CCTV cameras.
ALSO READ: More than 300 CCTV cameras in Tshwane ‘broken’ for 3 months
“Safety here in the CBD is a mess,” said Queen’s Lifestyle store chief operations officer Shaakira Yousuf.
“People are constantly being pick-pocketed.”
Yousuf said even a policeman was mugged in the previous month.
“He ran into our store to ask for help.”
The policeman was reportedly robbed of his cellphone at the corner of Thabo Sehume and Helen Joseph streets.
A police officer, working at the court, was mugged and his cellphone stolen at the corner of Thabo Sehume and Helen Joseph Streets in the Pretoria CBD. These robberies are common and these thugs operate in broad daylight. @SAPoliceService @GP_CommSafety
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) March 11, 2019
He was not the only victim, she said.
“Two of our sales representatives were also recently mugged,” said Yousuf.
She said one representative had to park a bit further down from the business, “because parking is such an issue in the city centre”.
“As he was walking to our store, a man with a knife approached him and demanded his cellphone.
“We have never had people coming to us to ask for help because they have just been robbed. But this is happening now.
“Some of the victims have asked if our CCTV cameras covered the streets outside because the city ones are not working,” Yousuf said,
“Crime wasn’t always this bad.”
She said between December and January about four businesses in the area were hit – all within a week or so of each other.
Local college student Lerato Jele blamed crime in the CDB on nyaope drug addicts.
“The city is full of them. They are the ones behind such petty crimes,” said Jele.
ALSO READ: VIDEO: Businesses affected by crime in Pta CBD
“Walking around the CBD as students we fear being robbed. I think that is what scares me most.”
Clifford Ntsoane, a student from Limpopo, said students were targeted.
“We get especially nervous now because we have to carry fees and textbook monies on us. With the cameras not working, we are even more of a target”.
Ntsoane said the police were “useless”.
“There are lots of crimes reported in the CBD, but never any proof – all because the cameras are not working.”
He said fellow students have been pick-pocketed on several occasions.
Central police station management recently complained about the non-functional cameras.
However, Mokgalapa said the police should be “out on the streets” instead of blaming the metro.
You turned Tshwane blind,the cameras saw nothing throughout your tenure.
— MothalewaAzania (@mothalewa) March 26, 2019
When is DA doing site inspection at Tshwane metro police where cctv camera have been off for over a year
— Warren Brown (@Warren_BrownSA) April 3, 2019
CCTV cameras in Tshwane have not been working since 2016. What was @SollyMsimanga doing? How much was spent on them? The DA is failing people of Tshwane. @EMokgalapa doing useless PR work on Power FM. Don't damage the relationship with the SAPS.
— @John Mphatsoe (@JohnMphatsoe) March 27, 2019
He said the city cameras were the analogue type with an angle of 90/180-degrees.
“What we need is 360-degree coverage.”
Mokgalapa said there were plans to repair damaged cameras before the end of the month, including the installation of new ones at the entrances into several townships.
#POWERBreakfast Tshwane mayor has no idea of how Tshwane CCTV cameras worked. Tshwane CCTV cameras were rotating 360 degrees. I operated the same cameras in Johannesburg. I know them quite well. Cameras in Tshwane and Johannesburg were under Cuincident Surveillance Technology.
— Rathipa lordwell (@Mamokwee) March 27, 2019
Tshwane community safety MMC Karen Meyer said “only a portion” of the cameras were not working mostly because of vandalism, theft and weather-related or other damage. But metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Mahamba said he would not point out which cameras were inactive, “as this might pose a security risk”.
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
