Turning the Tide on
Crime in Johannesburg
Turning the
Tide on
Crime in
Johannesburg
Fidelity ADT is partnering with the VumaCam SafeCity Initiative. Our goal is safer streets, safer communities, safer cities, through access to Vumacam’s cameras to gain city-wide situational awareness critical to understanding criminal patterns, assist with crime prevention and investigations.
The SafeCity Initiative means that you and your loved ones now have additional safety in your neighbourhood streets, are able to ride your bikes in the parks and green spaces and provide security so that everyone can safely get to and from their homes.
Why SafeCity?
The SafeCity Initiative was conceptualised out of the need to offer a more densified CCTV solution across the City of Joburg. For the last few years, Vumacam has been installing cameras across the city to assist with crime prevention and better people’s lives. Although Vumacam has until recently had over 6000 cameras in the City of Joburg, there are still gaps in the network that need to be covered.
Something had to be done to provide everyone with the freedom to move around the city and feel safe in their own homes and neighbourhoods. The SafeCity Initiative sees more cameras being switched on across the city and new cameras installed in areas that previously had no coverage. Greater coverage across the city provides a network effect that offers all Security Providers the opportunity to monitor more areas and stop the criminals before they get to your neighbourhood, street or door.
What is a network effect?
When CCTV started to take off as a security solution, communities and private security companies began installing cameras in areas that could afford the additional security monitoring. This created pockets where criminal or unusual behaviour could be quickly identified and a team could be dispatched to investigate. However, criminals very quickly learned where these pockets were and would use neighbouring suburbs and areas where there were no cameras to escape to – essentially gaps in the CCTV coverage.
By installing cameras and densifying the coverage, this will close the gaps and criminals will have nowhere to escape to. As criminals try to leave the area and an alert is sent out, Security Providers will be able to quickly mobilise their teams and be alerted as the criminals move across the city.
How does this benefit me?
- Greater coverage means less places for criminals to escape to and hide from law enforcement
- Safer streets and areas provides you with the confidence to travel between your home and work, family, schools etc.
- Employees and loved ones that may have stayed in previously unprotected areas, now will see cameras being installed in their areas so that they too, can travel comfortably
- Increased cameras across arterial routes and green spaces means that recreational activies such as running, walking and cycling can be done with a greater peace of mind knowing that there is another level of security
- More coverage means more sharing of information which means more criminals apprehended and less crimes committed. The more criminals behind bars, the safer you are
- Receive accurate and verified intelligence for protest action, civil unrest, looting etc. Homes in safer areas are considered high value in the property market which could increase your property price in a desirable area
- Valuable infrastructure such as traffic lights, cellular towers etc., is also protected and prevents unnecessary disruptions to your daily life
- Your Security Providers can also be alerted on vandalism, illegal dumping and theft in public spaces and quickly contact the necessary authorities to ensure the perpetrators are swiftly dealt with.
- Your existing Security Provider now has access to the full Vumacam network which means they are able to respond to incidents and intercept criminals before they reach your neighbourhood
- Increased coverage provides valuable insight and data for post-event investigations
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As with any community initiative it requires collaboration to achieve the best results. “Together with Vumacam and residents in the community, we are committed to turning the tide on crime in the City of Johannesburg and appeal to communities to stand together and help contribute to this initiative. Fidelity’s own customer subscription base will now make a monthly contribution
“
Wahl Bartmann, Chief Executive Officer
of Fidelity Services Group
“
As with any community initiative it requires collaboration to achieve the best results. “Together with Vumacam and residents in the community, we are committed to turning the tide on crime in the City of Johannesburg and appeal to communities to stand together and help contribute to this initiative. Fidelity’s own customer subscription base will now make a monthly contribution
“
Wahl Bartmann, Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Services Group
