Cape Town's growing web of surveillance cameras is proving its worth, with the City confirming a 35 jump in detected incidents thanks to its expanding CCTV network and the rollout of more than 1 000 body-worn cameras among enforcement staff.
Between July 2024 and June 2025, the City's Safety and Security Directorate logged 59 526 incidents, compared to the previous year's total, showing a major leap in efficiency. Of these, 27 059 were criminal cases, resulting in 458 arrests. These included 75 for drunk driving linked to accidents, 27 smash-and-grabs, 23 cable thefts, and 154 for drug-related offences, as reported by Smile FM .
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said the expanding network acts as a force multiplier , strengthening both proactive and reactive policing. In recent years, we've grown the City's CCTV footprint, reduced downtime, and significantly boosted incident detection, he said.