IN a few months' time, Mdantsane could be a step closer to the dystopian environment depicted in George Orwell's "Nineteen-eighty four", thanks to the installation of CCTV cameras in the area. However, unlike the cameras in the Orwell book, which were placed everywhere to manipulate the public, the cameras in Mdantsane will serve a benign, positive purpose: fighting crime.

Buffalo City Municipality is looking to put in place a surveillance system worth approximately R2,9-mllion throughout the Highway Taxi Rank in Mdantsane in an attempt to make the area safer for commuters and hawkers conducting business there.

The system will include 14 static cameras, two high-speed dome cameras, one relay room and one off-site control room.

The City's traffic and law enforcement commander, Bernie Martin, said the monitoring system is meant to curb the amount of felonies in the area. "The main purpose for the cameras is for crime prevention. We know where the crime is committed which is why we got involved."

The municipality's general manager for public safety, Steve Terwin, said BCM delegates inspected the rank on Thursday, 21 October, as part of the final preparations before installation begins in November. "Contractors should be on-site by 8 November, installing the system."

He also said the system should be up and running by the end of December.

According to Terwin, the cameras will be connected to an off-site control room in East London. "They will be linked to a relay site in Mdantsane with fibre-optic cables. The signal will then be transmitted to a control room which is based at the Fleet Street fire station complex."

The visuals will be in real-time and without lag, therefore allowing law enforcement officials and reaction units to respond to an incident immediately. "When a crime in progress is identified the information is passed onto BCM Law Enforcement Services and the South African Police Services (SAPS) who will then despatch the nearest units to deal with the incident. Should an arrest not be made the footage is made available to the SAPS to assist with the investigation," said Terwin.

He added that once the perpetrators are apprehended, the visuals would be used as evidence in court.

Martin is optimistic the installation of the CCTV cameras in Mdantsane will be the first of many to follow in the city. "With this technology, it is just the beginning. We are one of the few coastal cities that do not have cameras in town or the beachfront. We would want most crime-infested areas in Buffalo City to be monitored."