Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding answers over the delayed national rollout of police body-worn cameras, warning that the lack of a clear implementation timeline could undermine efforts to improve accountability and public trust in the South African Police Service (SAPS).
In a statement, DA NCOP Member on the Select Committee on Security and Justice, Mzamo Billy MP, said the party would continue pushing for the rollout after Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia confirmed that his department has no firm timeline for implementing the technology nationwide.
Billy said body-worn cameras could help improve transparency, preserve evidence, protect police officers from false allegations and deter misconduct.
The DA’s concerns come as South Africa continues to grapple with allegations of corruption, abuse of power and criminal infiltration within SAPS, including issues emerging from the Madlanga Commission.
Billy questioned why the rollout had been delayed, pointing out that the Police Ministry had previously indicated that SAPS intended to begin deploying body-worn cameras during the 2025/26 financial year.
“Where are the cameras, to fight crime and keep officers safe?” Billy asked, calling on the acting minister to urgently finalise the procurement process.
The potential benefits of body-worn cameras were also highlighted by Professor Mpho Matlala from UNISA’s College of Law and School of Criminal Justice.
According to Eyewitness News Matlala said body cameras could serve as both a deterrent against misconduct and an accountability mechanism for police officers.
Matlala said South Africa’s high levels of crime and corruption had contributed to a trust deficit between police and the public, with body cameras potentially helping to rebuild that relationship.
Police officers will have body cameras from April.
At least 100 of them for now.
Minister Senzo Mchunu said, in response to a Parliamentary question. https://t.co/LJTkRGRaL8
— eNCA (@eNCA) February 18, 2025
“The technology is a reliable source for the collection and storage of evidence, and generally digital evidence is very reliable,” Matlala said.
He added that body cameras could also help reduce civil claims against the police by providing video evidence of incidents.
However, Matlala cautioned that the technology was not foolproof. He raised concerns about the manipulation of footage, cyberattacks and criminals finding ways to evade detection.
He also warned that corruption could affect the integrity of recorded footage, pointing to previous cases involving alleged interference with forensic evidence.
For Matlala, the biggest concern is the apparent lack of urgency around the rollout. He said the absence of a clear timeline could indicate poor planning, insufficient funding and a lack of political will.
“Not implementing them will be like doing law enforcement in the Stone Age when we are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Matlala said.
The DA has vowed to continue pressuring Acting Minister Cachalia to finalise the procurement process and provide a clear plan for the national rollout of police body-worn cameras.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
