MEC for the Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, speaking at the Gender Based Violence Intervention Dialogue hosted at the Station Conference Centre. Picture: Se-Anne Rall

Durban - Local government is committed to using the advancements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4ir) to end the scourge of gender-based violence. 

This is according to MEC for the Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, who was speaking at the Gender Based Violence Intervention Dialogue hosted at the Station Conference Centre on Tuesday.

Dube-Ncube said CCTV cameras will be installed in 10 sites in Amatikwe in Inanda, which has the highest number of reported rape cases in the country.

"I wish to inform the people of KZN that we have agreed on an urgent need to install CCTV cameras in taverns, nightclubs, in our streets, workplaces, recreational centres and other places as part of efforts to turn around the situation.

"We are in negotiations with Vodacom to ensure connectivity through ICT infrastructure. We want to use wi-fi operated CCTV cameras that identify criminals through face recognition technology and their biometrics before even committing their next crime," she said. 

The MEC said via Apps such as Namola, women will be able to share their GPS coordinates with the police, community groups and private security.

"They can do that with just a press of a button so that law enforcement agencies can respond instantly. Emergency responders can then be directed to the user along the fastest, least congested route, massively reducing the time taken to arrive," she said.

She said the tighter the connectivity between women and law enforcement agencies, the harder it will become for women abusers to cause injury, loss of life, pain and suffering and the safer women will feel.

"Today there are phones with cameras everywhere and more people are connected to the internet. They can film anything using their cellphones. This is what I call accountability in high definition. Women should fight back using technology. Everything exists forever and is easily accessible and distributable. Bad behaviour is shared and shamed, so you can’t do anything anymore without risking public exposure," Dube-Ncube said.

She said a decision has been made to install 10 community alarm system. 

This means that at a press of a button or using a remote control – an SMS will be sent to SAPS for the police to ensure speedy intervention during times of distress. The community alarms will have a subscription of 12 months which includes extensive training by the SAPS.

In addition, 10 floodlights to ensure the visibility of patrons and communities. 


The Mercury