GOOD Press statement by Suzette Little, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor & Caucus Chairperson
07 October 2022
Residents of Hanover Park and Manenberg is set to again see the roll out of the City of Cape Town’s gunshot detection system – ShotSpotter – despite very poor results in its use to fight crime.
The first phase of the project ran from 2016 to 2019 and cost tax-payers R31.8 million. At the time it was vigorously marketed by the City as a game-changer in reducing shooting crimes, yet it has clearly achieved very little.
During these three years, the multi-million rand technology recorded 6 688 incidents with a total of 18 777 shots fired, but only 67 arrests were made as a direct result of its use, while it is unclear how many cases saw an actual conviction.
Furthermore, the City is yet to explain if and how any of the data collected through this technology has fed into any new programs or projects to ensure more effective policing in the most affected areas across Hanover Park and Manenberg.
With crime spiraling out of control in parts of the Western Cape, the City needs to ensure that money is being spent on effective crime-fighting projects and not waste another R30 million on this seemingly high-tech but limited technology.
Resident are exposed to traumatising circumstances on a daily basis and deserve projects that produce actual results, in stead of projects that simply create an impression that action is being taken by the City in underdeveloped areas.
This money could have also been better spent on uplifting these communities where people are often driven to crime due to a lack of opportunities and where young people end up in gangs because there is nothing else to do.
Media Enquiries:
Suzette Little, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
Cell: 073 321 5036
Email: suzettel@forgood.org.za
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 0733671223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za