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Vumacam connects CCTV network to City Power grid

Admire Moyo
By Admire Moyo, ITWeb's news editor.
Johannesburg, 11 May 2021
Ricky Croock, CEO of video management company Vumacam.
Ricky Croock, CEO of video management company Vumacam.

Vumacam has successfully connected seven of its CCTV poles in Rosebank and one in Braamfontein to the City Power grid.

Vumacam is an independent private company formed through a joint venture between Vumatel and Imfezeko Holdings.

The company is rolling out a network of high-definition video surveillance cameras across the City of Johannesburg.

In a statement, the firm says its network of cameras aims to keep the city safe.

However, these cameras have been met with resistance amid privacy concerns. 

Vumacam recently won a court case against the Johannesburg Roads Agency which had argued that the company would use the cameras to spy on unsuspecting citizens.

The CCTV company says the connection to the City Power grid comes after significant strides were made in ensuring that private operator Vumacam and the City of Johannesburg could find effective means of providing the CCTV network with power connections.

Vumacam CEO Ricky Croock says: “While we have been operating successfully using alternative power sources to the City Power grid to feed cameras in the city and suburbs of Johannesburg, our intention has always been to connect directly to the City Power grid.

“The successful connections represent the start of a strong relationship between City Power and Vumacam that will benefit the City of Johannesburg and our growing pool of users.”

Vumacam is a video management-as-a-service provider deploying hi-tech cameras strategically on a solid fibre network to ensure a consistent, reliable, and quality CCTV service.

“Our cameras provide invaluable support to the South African Police Service, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department and private security companies. They also play a huge role in protecting city assets from vandalism and other crimes,” Croock explains.

In a statement, the company says while the initial roll-out focuses on a few poles, it is intended that more Vumacam poles will move on to the City Power grid soon.

“We are continuing discussions with the City of Johannesburg, City Power as well as the Johannesburg Roads Association. We believe that building a strong, cooperative working relationship between ourselves as a private operator, the City of Johannesburg and its key agencies will ultimately build a safer Joburg,” Croock adds.

Vumacam says it will share more detail on the rollout once the logistics, billing and the process for larger roll outs are finalised with the City of Johannesburg.

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