SAPS Enters Final Contracting Phase for R14 Million Body-Worn Camera Pilot Deployment

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia confirms a R14 million budget for the first phase of the SAPS body-worn camera rollout, managed by SITA.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 6:56 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Mayibongwe Maqhina

The Finalization of Procurement and Contracting

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has confirmed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is currently in the final contracting phase for the procurement of body-worn cameras. This development follows a decade of conceptual planning and several administrative delays. The initial implementation is expected to begin in the new financial year starting in April 2026, with an allocated budget of R14 million. This phase represents a critical shift from policy discussion to the physical acquisition of technology designed to improve officer accountability and public safety.

Oversight and Administration by SITA

The procurement process has been transitioned to the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) following the disapproval of a previous SAPS application for a bid publication deviation. SITA is now tasked with advertising the bid and appointing a qualified service provider. Once a vendor is secured, SAPS intends to develop a national rollout plan that will dictate the full implementation timeline. This shift to SITA is intended to ensure that the technological specifications meet rigorous government standards for data security and system integration.

A History of Long-Term Project Delays

The initiative to equip officers with recording devices dates back to 2019 under the leadership of former minister Bheki Cele. Since then, the project has undergone multiple cycles of market research and information requests to determine how such technology would interact with existing police infrastructure. In 2021, draft specifications were compiled, but the project stalled until late 2024 when suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu announced a renewed deployment target for the 2025/26 period.