Like many residents in Constantia Kloof, we now have a shiny new pole in place for high-definition cameras, right in front of our home.
It is a pity this new pole does not match the black creosote poles that already carry the double washing line of fibre. Despite being paid-up members of the Constantia Kloof Residents Forum, the first we ever heard of these decorations was when they showed up to actually plant the poles, and by then no amount of protesting made any difference.
During the last day or two, I have been trying to pinpoint what really worries me about the new cameras. Is it all the privacy issues that have not yet properly been debated by South Africans? Is it the fact that no studies have been conducted within South Africa to ascertain the potential effects of these cameras in our unique, ultra-violent crime setting? (Incidentally, several overseas studies indicate that such networks of cameras have some potential to displace crime, but none to prevent it.)
Or is my concern merely because I do not like some artificial intelligence to tailor the adverts I receive according to where I go shopping, what car I drive, when I leave and return home, etc? No, that’s not it. All of that I can probably live with, in the hope of being a little safer. And indeed, Vumacam seems to be promising us that we will all sleep more soundly, once their initiative is making proper money.
So what is it then that is bothering me? Well, for me, it is all of the above, and this: how long will 30 hours feel to someone who has been quietly hijacked and taken prisoner (if not killed), while the hijackers are waiting for Vumatel to delete all evidence of their crime? Before our cameras come online, it would be nice to know the current percentage of male and female drivers who have managed to escape from residential hijackings. Call me paranoid if you like, but I have a bad feeling that these percentages will soon become much smaller.
