MBDA helping to bring the fight to criminals

When we say the security hybrid approach is making a dent in petty crimes and assisting crime investigations, you don’t have to take our word for it, but business owners and the tourism industry are sharing their views on the programme.

The owner of the popular Metro Chicken and Meat eatery, Hedley Whitehead, recently commended the MBDA’s hybrid security programme in Govan Mbeki Avenue.

Hedley wrote to say the recent deployment of security personnel in the CBD had made a positive impact on general confidence in the area — for which the business was extremely grateful.

He said it was clear that the control of crime and illegal traders had already made a positive impact on the businesses which paid taxes and rates to legally trade in the Central area.

The conundrum with strategies to fight petty crimes is that all the efforts are happening away from public scrutiny because the test of success in crime fighting is when citizens, businesses and all stakeholders start to feel the impact.

Hedley’s comments are not isolated.

We have received several commendations for the work we are doing and still plan to do to lead with innovative and practical solutions in creating habitable and visitor friendly CBDs in Gqeberha, Kariega and around the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

When we started reviewing the security model early in 2024, it became clear to us that criminals were becoming more sophisticated and a step ahead.

Deploying the same old boots-on-the-ground approach was no longer a viable option, hence the pivoting to a hybrid solution comprising cameras, boots and patrols.

To activate the security hybrid model, we first needed to fix the infrastructure as a legacy investment.

The project has included repairs to certain segments of the city’s fibre optic communication backbone which has allowed for links of various MBDA operational sites to the central control room.

This communication infrastructure allows for additional security systems like access control, cameras, alarms systems and even fire systems to make use of the same infrastructure to monitor the various sites in real time and to prevent vandalism, fires and theft, thereby preserving and recommissioning existing municipal infrastructure like street lights and traffic lights.

The security hybrid approach allows for greater integration and communication among the 24/7 control room operators with the manpower on the ground doing the patrols and backed up by the dedicated armed response units when required.

The cameras linked to the control room allow for greater situational awareness covering multiple areas which cannot be covered by the manpower on the ground all the time.

Features such as number plate recognition and wide zoom in capacity are a game-changer.

The control room at the MBDA has multiple cameras linked to it, including cameras from third parties like the SRA and beachfront cameras.

This central monitoring across multiple cameras allows for the identification and tracking of a stolen or suspect vehicle all the way from the beachfront to the CBD.

This cog of the strategy is critical for evidence collection by security stakeholders suh as the SAPS and is being used by the police to assist them in their investigations and in tracking vehicles and people in the areas covered by the cameras.

In certain cases, the cameras have allowed the police to identify the exact positions where the criminals are hiding drugs in the CBD and for police officers to retrieve the drugs.

This security hybrid model is also embraced by stakeholders such as community safety forums, property owners, accommodation establishments and educational institutions and all of them believe in the immense potential this programme has.

We are exploring ways to extend the programme to the Kariega CBD where the MBDA-operated Science and Technology Centre is located.

With the fibre communication infrastructure in place, additional sites and buildings can now be added to the hybrid security programme.

Mobility is a core issue in terms of response and surveillance and future expansion will need to deploy aerial surveillance, including the use of drone technology and mobile CCTV surveillance units to monitor hotspots.

With the influx of events at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium we have observed a rise in criminal and syndicate activity.

The unfortunate incidents which have been reported around the North End Lake have reinvigorated our drive to ensure that our deployed hybrid security resources at the stadium cater for crime detection and surveillance around the North End Lake.

It is clear to us that the hybrid security initiative has assisted in mitigated crimes like card scamming, theft of vehicles, vandalism of infrastructure and illegal dumping.

This initiative has also assisted in the protection of tourists visiting the CBD from cruise ships and has been most welcomed by the tourism industry.

Work is at an advanced stage towards incorporating investigative techniques such as undercover and forensic tactics to get to the real syndicates who are the driving force.

Crime fighting is the responsibility of all of society and we are helping to ensure that urban decay can be reversed and our CBDs become decent places to live, work and play in.

• Anele Qaba, MBDA chief executive officer

The Herald