Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: Bulawayo City Council will roll out the first phase of CCTV surveillance of major roads in partnership with Tendy Three Investments. The surveillance will cover the major roads in February to help curb crime and enhance the easy flow of traffic.
As per the sources, the cameras installed will keep a check on the speed of vehicles and will check which vehicles are travelling at robots and committing traffic violations will conduct traffic counts by recording vehicles passing through the areas around intersections.
The Government is also planning to set up security cameras in smart cities, such as the capital of Zimbabwe, Harare, to curb crime and avoid traffic.
The initiative is going to be launched under the master plan ‘Smart Zimbabwe’, which will guide smart city projects.
A ‘Smart City’ uses information and communication technologies to improve operational efficiency. It shares information with the local public and provides quality services to improve citizens’ welfare.
The Government adopted the smart city concept as it is a global phenomenon and a part of the country’s modernisation thrust.
Considering the same, the Managing Director of Tendy Three Investments – Lizwe Mabuza, said that the first CCTV cameras will be installed from Clement Muchachi Road to E.D. Mnangagwa Way. The cameras will also be installed at Robert Mugabe Way and Queen Lozikeyi Street in the city centre.
He mentioned that it will be phase one as we will be testing how the system will operate. Having cameras installed on the streets will help in the fight against crime, especially theft from cars.
Managing Director Mabuza added to his statement that his company will also rehabilitate some of the city roads which are badly damaged, particularly between N.K. Ndlovu Avenue and E.D. Mnangagwa Avenue, in the city centre.
He included in his statement that Tendy Three is employing 356 workers at present and will employ 100 new young employs as the firm is expanding parking bays to rehabilitate some roads.
The spokesperson of the City Council – Nesisa Mpofu, said that the local authority generated U.S. $700,000 in revenue between January and October from its parking bays.
She mentioned the collected revenue would be channelled towards the rehabilitation of the city’s road network.
She added that 75% of the city roads were in a bad state, with over U.S. $700 million required to rehabilitate them.