High-tech CCTV cameras on public transport facilities

South Africa - Cape Town - 27 February 2019 - The recently renovated Cape Town Taxi terminus located on the deck of the train station. Commuters can access minibus taxis via the designated taxi rank or anywhere en route. Prices vary according to the distance travelled and only cash is accepted. The passenger would pay the fare collector at the beginning of the trip. Picture: Courtney Africa/African News Agency(ANA)
The City of Cape Town’s transport directorate is installing high-tech CCTV cameras at various public transport interchanges (PTIs) and MyCiTi stations across the city. 

The first PTIs to benefit from the roll-out are Claremont, Wynberg, Cape Town Station Deck, Mitchell’s Plain, Khayelitsha and Bellville.

Mayoral committee member for transport, Felicity Purchase, said: “We’ll be installing 159 CCTV cameras at nine minibus-taxi ranks. The CCTV camera project will boost the safety of our commuters and operators in the various communities where the PTIs and the MyCiTi stations are located. The cameras will also provide a technological advantage for safety and law enforcement purposes.”

The footage from the cameras will be viewed in real time, as well as once it has been recorded. The data that is captured will be made available as needed for prosecution purposes.

Installation is currently under way at the PTIs in Mitchell’s Plain, Khayelitsha and Bellville and is scheduled to be completed by Monday June 30.

Ms Purchase said the technology could be used to prevent overloading.

“We’re also testing a solution where the cameras can be used to count the number of passengers that are boarding a minibus-taxi. This is very important to prevent overloading and will assist to improve the safety of commuters, of drivers and of other road users.”

Apart from the CCTV cameras, the roll-out of digital technologies at the PTIs includes the installation of public wi-fi, Internet-of-Things sensors and access control.