A recently approved bylaw that gives the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) access to private surveillance cameras for the purpose of preventing crime has been rejected by the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP). Under the new regulations, any person or company installing a CCTV camera with the view of a public area will need to get official municipality approval. The party has raised concerns over the impact this bylaw will have on the privacy of residents as well as the hidden costs associated with the application process. ACDP councillor, Ronald Winston Harris says, “The bylaw that has promulgated and suggested is not taking into account that there are private citizens who have set up their own systems at great cost to themselves. There’s regulations now stipulating that they have to apply for permission and that application comes with an unmentioned cost. So there are challenges to the whole system but the crime fighting element is not in question. It is the invasion of privacy and the surveillance of society that we are seen introducing in a very underhanded manner.” PODCAST | ACDP rejects newly passed by-law regarding private surveillance cameras: https://omny.fm/shows/first-take-sa/acdp-rejects-newly-passed-by-law-regarding-private
