THE City have refuted claims that several CCTV cameras around the north Durban area are not functioning. The statement comes after Durban North councillor, Shaun Ryley conducted an oversight visit to the CCTV control room of eThekwini’s Disaster Management Unit. According to Ryley and Martin Meyer, Morningside councillor, it was discovered that none of the cameras installed on the numerous concrete masts across the city since October last year are operational.

However, eThekwini spokesman, Mandla Nsele said the allegations were untrue.

“The allegations that City CCTV cameras are not functional is not true. There are currently five cameras operating in the Durban North area and all are functional. The City does not lack a budget to connect the cameras, as stated above, the five cameras are currently operational.

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Nsele said the municipality had embarked on a city-wide CCTV project which includes License Plate Recognition cameras in line with the Municipal Integrated Development Programme.

“The objective was to reduce crime in various parts of the City as well as to have coverage of parts of the City where high levels of crime have been reported. The project also encompasses the replacement of aging steel poles with concrete poles which are less maintenance,” Nsele said.

Ryley insisted he was told by personnel at the control room there had been a delay in the connection of the cameras.

“Our visit was conducted in an attempt to get more information about the circumstances surrounding these masts and their subsequent use as cellphone towers by MTN. However, thus far these attempts have only been met with vague responses, bringing into question the intended purpose of the erection of the masts in the first place.

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“While on the oversight visit, it was uncovered that none of the new cameras that had been installed was working due to a delay in approval for fibre connections to connect the camera feed through to the central control room,” he said.

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