R14m allocated but SAPS still has no body camera rollout timeline

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia says South Africa has no timeline for rolling out body-worn cameras, with procurement delayed despite plans to begin deployment during the 2025/26 financial year

South Africa has no confirmed timeline for the rollout of body-worn cameras to police officers, with Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia saying the procurement process has not been finalised despite an earlier commitment to begin deployment in the 2025/26 financial year.

Cachalia made the disclosure in a written parliamentary reply to Democratic Alliance (DA) KwaZulu-Natal MP Mzamo Billy, who asked for an update on the rollout and whether operational members in the province had been equipped with the cameras.

Cachalia said operational members in KwaZulu-Natal were not equipped with body-worn cameras and that the province had not initiated a rollout.

“The procurement of body worn cameras has not yet been finalised, as the process remains in the contracting phase,” Cachalia said.