JP Smithshows off the “Eye in the Sky”.
Cape Town mayco member JP Smith's grand "Eye in the Sky" aerial surveillance project, once flaunted as a "groundbreaking weapon against crime and gang violence", has been quietly grounded following the cancellation of its contract due to non-compliance, raising questions about transparency, expenditure, and effectiveness.
The City awarded the over R100 million contract in December 2023, reportedly after attracting only a single bidder.
At the time, Smith said the City was investing R610m in various safety technologies over three years.
Smith boldly said the high-tech projects were to aid officers on the ground to tackle various crime incidents, even chasing after poachers or robbers along the mountain slopes.
