Frequently Asked Questions

A community owned and operated network of street cameras across the PNW precinct, an extra tool in our fight against crime, not a replacement for your own security. Cameras installed throughout the PNW precinct feed into a central infrastructure where footage can be viewed and replayed. It is there to complement what we already have — armed response, alarms, private security — NOT to replace them. In fact, the project depends on our partnership with private security companies, so please keep subscribing to your security provider; they are critical partners in keeping Plumstead safe.

We are aiming for 300 cameras in under five years, funding permitting. The target is at least five new cameras every month, which puts the full 300-camera rollout within a five-year window. However this depends entirely on donations and resources being available, so the more the community supports the project, the faster it moves.

Yes — registered and approved with the City of Cape Town, the local Community Policing Forum and SAPS. The project is approved by the Community Policing Forum and the Diep River Station Commander, and is registered with the City of Cape Town under City Camera Legislation — Policy 21207 (adopted by Council on 25 June 2014, C63/06/14).

PNW Street Camera Project falls under the management of Plumstead Neighbourhood Watch Executive Committee (EXCO). The EXCO is responsible for overseeing the PNW Street Camera Project, and the project’s finances.

The labour is donated by the community and the hardware is acquired at cost. Project management, technical design, camera configuration, installation labour and monitoring are all done by community volunteers, free of charge, so there is no paid contract for anyone to bid on. The technical design and evaluation were completed over three years ago and have been reviewed by multiple independent parties. The only money the community contributes goes toward the physical hardware, purchased at wholesale prices. Should installers be paid in the future, preference will be given to installers that have volunteered their services and skills to the project and have an understanding of the sites and technologies deployed. It is a project by the community, for the community.

Yes — installs are done by PNW members who are SAPS vetted and companies that donate their time and skills to the project. Home Security 1st is one such company that has installed over 30 cameras for the project for free.

We would love the help — especially if you have IT, CCTV or project-management skills. This project is run entirely on volunteers who give freely of their time and skills. If you have experience in IT, CCTV, networking, project management or admin — or simply want to help — please get in touch. We also hold community roadshows where you can ask questions and get involved; watch the PNW channels for the next date.

Possibly — if it views the street, meets the technical specs, and you agree to the required terms and conditions. Private cameras can sometimes be added to the network. The camera needs to view the street, meet the necessary technical specifications, and you will need to sign the project’s terms and conditions regarding allowing the project to use the camera and footage. The camera project team assesses each camera and location first to make sure it meets project standards.

Provide power and internet for the camera, keep an eye on it, and tell us if anything changes. Hosting a PNW Street Camera means supplying the electricity and internet connection it needs, at your own cost. Keep a casual eye on the camera and report any physical damage or issues to PNW. And please let us know in advance if you are planning work that might affect the camera, or if you are moving from the property.

No — only the property owner can approve an installation. Approval cannot be given by a tenant. Only the property owner has the authority to approve a camera installation and accept the terms and conditions for the project.

Yes, gladly — if it is strong enough and well positioned. Using an existing pole is often preferred. It needs to safely support the weight and type of camera we install, and be positioned to give a good view of the street. Where a suitable pole already exists, we will happily use it — it saves the project cost and time.

There is no formal paper design, but nothing happens without your sign-off on site. The whole installation is done in collaboration with you. You will work directly with the install team on site to agree the best camera position and the most practical, discreet cable route before any work starts. Your input and approval of those details are essential.

Mainly a good street view — ideally a corner — with fibre and decent on-site security. Suitability comes down to a few things: a good view of the street (a corner is ideal), fibre internet at the property, and reasonable on-site security to reduce the risk of the camera being stolen or vandalised. Ease and cost of installation are also weighed up during the evaluation.

Yes — and joining is quick, free and obligation-free. Membership of PNW is required to host a camera. The good news is signing up is straightforward and carries no obligations — just complete the signup on the PNW website. Click here to become a member.

We aim to keep them running — mostly by installing cameras where backup power already exists. The goal is to keep cameras live through load shedding, primarily by placing them at properties that already have inverter backup. The project can install a UPS at crucial sites without backup power, but cost means that is not standard everywhere. Cameras at sites running on Eskom power alone, with no inverter or project-funded UPS, will likely be offline during load shedding.

Very little — you will forget it is there. The cameras use efficient, modern compression. Inbound data is under 20MB per hour, so it will not affect your streaming or browsing. The camera uploads more than it downloads, but on a typical home connection — where uploads are lightly used — the effect is usually unnoticed.

PNW funds the repair or replacement — not the host. In three years of running the project, not a single camera has been stolen or vandalised. Cameras are project property and the cost of repair or replacement is covered by PNW from project funds and donations, not by the host. We specifically use turret-style cameras, which are more difficult to steal or vandalise than the bullet alternatives, and we have had zero theft or vandalism incidents since the project began three years ago. All we ask of hosts is to keep an eye on the camera and let PNW know promptly if anything looks wrong; where a camera is stolen or damaged we will open a case with SAPS.

Multiple layers — restricted access, full access logging, and watermarked footage. We use the Hik Central Professional software; access to cameras is limited and tightly restricted. Every camera access is logged — when, and by whom — and video footage and images carry an embedded watermark identifying the user.

No — cameras view public areas only, and private property is digitally blacked out. Cameras are strictly directed at public areas. Where parts of surrounding private property unavoidably fall within a camera’s line of sight, those areas are digitally obscured with blackout masks (privacy zones), so private spaces are not monitored or recorded.

No — the camera plugs into your fibre router by cable and makes a secure connection to the server. It does not use your Wi-Fi. The camera connects with a physical network cable directly to your fibre router — not over Wi-Fi. From there it makes its own secure, encrypted outbound connection to our management server. We do not have your Wi-Fi password, we do not change any router settings, and we do not monitor your other internet activity. Only the camera’s encrypted data travels over your connection — see the bandwidth question under Hosting a camera for how little that is. In short: you will forget it is connected.

Typically 3 to 5 days, maximum 30 days, then automatically overwritten — in line with our POPIA notice. Footage is held on a secure system with tightly restricted access and full access logging. It is retained for a short period — typically 3 to 5 days, with a maximum of 30 days — before being automatically overwritten on a rolling basis. Footage is released only to a SAPS Investigating Officer on a valid case. For the full notice, including the narrow exceptions where footage may be held longer, see the CCTV Notice.

No — live and playback access is restricted. Virtual Patrollers can view cameras with a small replay window, and a small team can recover footage. For security reasons, both live viewing and playback of the PNW Street Cameras are tightly controlled and limited to a small number of authorised people. General access is not available to anyone. The exception is if you provide us access to your cameras.

Not directly — footage is released to SAPS when requested by them. You cannot obtain footage directly. If footage may be relevant to a crime, open a case with SAPS. Once a case number is assigned, the investigating officer can request the footage. You can request that footage is preserved by completing the footage preservation form.

No — the cameras are monitored by Virtual Patrollers when available. The priority is to install a camera on every street corner and not spend money on 24/7 monitoring until that is achieved. We have the ability to enable AI and other features in the future, but those would require human responders that would take money away from the primary focus. PNW Virtual Patrollers fill the role of camera monitor when they are available.

The PNW Street Camera Project team has assisted the City of Cape Town (Platform1) and DataSpace with the installation of LPR cameras. Alongside the PNW overview cameras, the team has installed LPR (licence-plate recognition) cameras on behalf of the City of Cape Town’s Platform1 and DataSpace to complement our overview cameras. Our volunteers assist with the installation, but the footage from those cameras is managed entirely by the respective organisations.

PNW does — paid for by the community, owned by the community. The cameras and infrastructure are owned by PNW. There are also resident-owned cameras that we have been given access to that remain the property of the resident. The project was made possible by the generous contributions of residents, and its continued growth depends on that support — so please consider a regular donation.

Yes please — and regular monthly donations help the most. Financial contributions are the lifeblood of the project. Donations fund both new camera installations and the ongoing maintenance of the system and its infrastructure. Regular monthly contributions are especially valuable — they give the project steady, predictable support. See the Donate page for the ways you can give.

If you want to sponsor a camera we’ll meet with you first and discuss the options. Because equipment prices move and we like to meet sponsors in person to talk through location and placement, please get in touch via the sponsor-a-camera form and a team member will arrange a meeting.

No — no one profits. The project is by the community, for the community, run by volunteers donating their time and skills; hardware is acquired at cost. No one involved in the project makes a profit from the PNW Street Camera Project. The work is done by volunteers donating their time and skills, and equipment is bought by PNW at cost. Should installers need to be paid in the future, preference will be given to installers that have volunteered their services and skills to the project and have an understanding of the sites and technologies deployed. Either way, the project is run on a non-profit basis under PNW.