SAPS body cameras are finally becoming a reality after years of delays

If you thought South African police officers had been wearing body cameras for years, you’re probably not alone.

But despite repeated promises and announcements stretching back several years, SAPS officers have only very recently started moving closer to actually getting body-worn cameras.

The long-delayed programme is finally showing signs of progress, with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) now working on procuring the cameras and related technology for the South African Police Service.

Years of promises and missed deadlines

The idea of equipping SAPS officers with body cameras has been discussed for years.

In 2025, then-Police Minister Senzo Mchunu confirmed in Parliament that not a single body-worn camera had been deployed, despite previous commitments to begin rolling them out.

At the time, a first batch of around 100 cameras was expected to be introduced as part of an initial rollout aimed at improving transparency and accountability.

That deadline came and went.

By 2026, Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia said he could not provide a firm rollout date because the procurement process had not yet been finalised.

He has confirmed, however, that procurement is in the final stages of bid specification and quality assurance.

Pressure has since mounted for SAPS to explain the delays, with Parliament, political parties and oversight bodies all pushing for progress.

Around R14 million has reportedly been set aside for the first phase of implementation.

What the new body cameras could do

The proposed technology is more sophisticated than simply recording video.

Specifications being considered include cameras with:

• Low-light capability for clearer footage at night
• Built-in microphones and noise reduction
• GPS tracking
• Features designed to detect certain events, such as someone falling or running

Access to camera settings would also reportedly be restricted to authorised personnel.

That is a particularly important issue, as one of the biggest concerns surrounding body-camera programmes internationally is whether officers can switch cameras off or interfere with recordings during critical incidents.

Why body cameras matter

A body camera can provide a record of what happened during an arrest, search or confrontation.

Instead of relying entirely on conflicting accounts from police officers and members of the public, investigators could potentially have video and audio evidence to review.

This could prove particularly important for bodies such as the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) when investigating allegations of police misconduct.

The technology could also protect police officers against false accusations by providing evidence of what actually happened during an incident.

Legal experts have argued that wider use of body cameras could help improve accountability, rebuild trust between police and communities and potentially reduce civil claims against SAPS.

Cape Town is already ahead

There is already a South African example of body cameras being used in law enforcement.

The City of Cape Town’s Metro Police and Safety and Security Directorate has rolled out around 1 250 shared body cameras, with another phase expected to add roughly 1 000 more.

While Metro Police and SAPS are separate law enforcement structures, Cape Town’s programme provides a local example of how body-worn cameras can be introduced in phases.

Even with procurement now moving forward, a nationwide rollout will take time.

The initial plans cover only a relatively small number of cameras compared with the size of SAPS and the tens of thousands of officers operating across South Africa.

A full rollout could therefore take years.

Still, after years of promises, missed deadlines and shifting timelines, the fact that procurement is finally moving forward marks one of the clearest signs yet that SAPS body cameras may finally become a reality.