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Fidelity ADT, Vumacam to ring-fence Joburg suburbs with cameras

Admire Moyo
By Admire Moyo, ITWeb's news editor.
Johannesburg, 29 Jun 2020

Security firm Fidelity ADT has partnered with Vumacam to roll out a surveillance network of cameras across a number of southern suburbs, starting with the Glenvista and Mulbarton areas.

In a statement, the companies say 27 poles in total with 27 licence plate recognition (LPR) cameras and 54 overview cameras will be erected.

They note the camera project will completely ring-fence Bassonia, Glenvista, Mulbarton and Glenanda.

According to Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Services Group, the increase in crime has prompted many communities to take a more proactive stance regarding their local security requirements and they are now starting to work far more closely with the authorities and private security companies in order to find a solution which best fits that community.

Bartmann says the CCTV surveillance will be installed and rolled out over the next three to four weeks.

The cameras are fibre-connected to Vumacam’s tier three data centre and the feed is streamed in real-time to the Fidelity ADT command and control centre in Ulwazi campus, Midrand, and stored securely for 14 days.

“This allows us to manage footage and better integrate analytics. Vumacam is the infrastructure provider enabling Fidelity ADT to deliver an optimal service to our customers,” Bartmann says.

“We have 10 controllers dedicated only to LPR and CCTV monitoring 24/7. The control room is equipped with 10 workstations with three screens each to ensure easy multi-tasking, all linked to a large video wall. The LPR is backed up by our JIS [joint information system] relationship which dissects information from 40 000 LPR cameras across South Africa.

“We appreciate crime is a concern for all South Africans and this solution adds an additional layer to the security ecosystem and allows for more efficient, proactive monitoring and optimal response protocols. We want to eventually extend the network wider to include Meyersdal and Alberton,” he says.

Bartmann points out that operating in isolation is not an option these days. “We rely a lot on information received from our customers, SAPS, community associations and other relevant parties.

“Customers have also been educated to become more vigilant in their approach to security. This two-way communication has resulted in us not only offering a reactive security service but also a proactive one. The addition of technology significantly strengthens this approach and the resultant drop in crime levels,” concludes Bartmann.

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