Municipal employee in hot water for sabotaging CCTV cameras
The employee was arrested for sabotaging CCTV cameras for criminal benefit.
A MUNICIPAL employee was arrested for alleged theft, sabotage and vandalism of CCTV cameras during a multi-disciplinary sting operation yesterday (February 20). The suspect (30) was arrested for allegedly sabotaging CCTV cameras for criminal benefit.
According to eThekwini Municipality, the arrest comes after the suspect was caught on another camera last week damaging the newly upgraded cables that link servers and feeds to the CCTV cameras.
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A sting operation was then set up, led by the City’s Disaster Management Unit, Metro Police, the City Integrity and Investigation Unit (CIIU) and the SAPS.
The damaged cameras are linked to the City’s emergency service control room. The control room monitors and detects crime while ensuring law and order.
The municipality has opened a criminal case against the suspect for theft, sabotage and vandalism of municipal infrastructure. The employee, who is one of the City’s CCTV camera operators, was also served with a notice of immediate suspension.
In a bid to win the war against crime, the municipality embarked on a project to repair and upgrade CCTV cameras in the city centre last year.
“This was one of the City’s concerted efforts to ensure the safety of residents and holidaymakers during the festive season and beyond,” the municipality said in a statement.
eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda welcomed the arrest and applauded the law enforcement agencies, the Disaster Management Unit and the CIIU for their swift response.
“We are committed to rooting out any form of criminality within the municipality and have adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards lawlessness. This City has no room for criminals and will not allow anyone who will compromise the safety of our residents, visitors and businesses,” said Kaunda.
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Head of the Disaster Management and Emergency Services Unit Vincent Ngubane said the City will not hesitate to arrest anyone who tampers with and sabotages municipal infrastructure, such as CCTV cameras, even if it’s one of their own.
Meanwhile, three suspects were recently arrested in The Bluff for damage to infrastructure. The arrest was made during a joint operation between metro police, members of the public from The Bluff and private security companies.
The trio was apprehended for their alleged involvement in the theft of electricity cables and damage to the essential infrastructure on The Bluff.
Acting on a tip-off received from sources, security companies, together with law enforcement agencies, came together to tackle the ongoing challenge of the theft of infrastructure on The Bluff.
Residents are urged to report any suspicious and fraudulent activities which compromise service delivery to the CIIU on 0800 202020.
All services rendered by CIIU are free, and the identity of the whistle-blowers is protected.
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