$2m surveillance cameras for Harare….. set to nab traffic offenders and reduce congestion

By Innocent Ruwende

Harare City Council and its parking unit, City Parking, have embarked on a $2 million programme of installing surveillance cameras at traffic lights in the central business district (CBD) to deal with congestion and traffic offenders. The cameras will help identify traffic offenders, especially those who impede the smooth flow of traffic.

It is also envisaged that the cameras will assist police in identifying those who commit various crimes in the CBD. City Parking, which has been financing the marking of roads and parking bays, will also adopt Julius Nyerere Way with a view of beautifying it.

In an interview during a tour of some of the roads, which were being marked, Harare chief engineer of works George Munyonga said the installation of the gadgets was 70 percent complete.

“This programme which we are undertaking of marking the road signs and beautifying the streets is a first step of the project that we are working on with City Parking. We are going to be installing monitoring and enforcement cameras at all intersections and along all routes so that any traffic violations, which are to the detriment of good traffic movement, will be dealt with,” he said.

“Controllers will just ticket offenders. On the installation process we are around 70 percent and it will be monitored in a control room at the Harare Parkade so all roads within the central business district will be monitored.

“All intersections within the CBD will be monitored. All parking spaces within the CBD will be monitored.”

He said they were targeting to recoup their $2 million investment from traffic offenders within a year.

Eng Munyonga said City Parking was in the process of equipping the control room, putting up the servers and the next phase, which constitutes 10 percent, would involve the mounting of the cameras and making sure the traffic system is linked to the technology.

“We would also want to link the system with Zinara and Central Vehicle Registry so that we can follow up on those issued with tickets,” he said.

City Parking marketing manager Mr Francis Mandaza said the initiative was part of the Mayors’ 100-day plan.

“We are embarking on massive road markings. We are doing both lane marking and bay marking.

“We have started with Julius Nyerere Way. We are going to Cameron Street and from there we will go to Chinhoyi Street and Mbuya Nehanda Street. These efforts are meant to try to contribute to the success of the Mayors 100 Day plan,” he said.

“Apart from the road markings, we have also adopted Julius Nyerere Island from Second Street down to Kenneth Kaunda for beatification.”

The City and City Parking are using thermoplastic paint, which is more durable. The Herald