Cape Town defends cancelled ‘Eye in the Sky’ project, says no financial loss incurred

JP Smith’s “Eye in the Sky” aerial surveillance project has been cancelled after its R100m contract was terminated over non-compliance.

Cape Town Mayoral Committee member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, has responded to reporting on the City’s cancelled “Eye in the Sky” surveillance initiative, saying the project was not a personal undertaking but part of broader safety and security innovation efforts.

In a letter submitted to the Cape Argus following an article published on June 16, 2026, Smith said the initiative formed part of the Safety and Security Directorate’s wider technology rollout in the fight against crime.

He said the contract was terminated in August 2025 after a single bidder joint venture failed to proceed.

“Firstly, this was not JP Smith’s project – it was a Safety and Security Directorate undertaking, and one of many innovative tech solutions that have been onboarded in the fight against crime,” Smith said.