How City's aerial resources drained R16.3 million from taxpayers

<p>Image: File</p>

<p>Smith said some of the R600m budget has since been held over given that the Eye in the Sky technology procurement has been readvertised.</p>

<p>When queried about the total cost and expenditure since the <a href="https://capeargus.co.za/news/2026-06-18-cape-towns-shotspotter-contract-ends-amid-rising-violence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ShotSpotter</a>’s existence, Smith indicated that tenders cost between R 4 208 750 and R9 990 000 per year.</p>

<p>He shared: </p>

<li>Year 1: 2022/23 (Due to new areas identified, the service provider was given time to import sensors and installation by the service provider, as per tender) R4 208 750</li>

<li>Year 2: 2023/24-R9 990 000.00</li>

<li>Year 3: 2024/25- R9 990 000.00</li>

<p>"Approved extension of tender by 6 months (July 1, 2025- Dec 31, 2025)- R4 992 000.00 with a total of R29 180 750."</p>

<p>According to City watchdog, Sandra Dickson, the figures are just the tip of the iceberg.</p>

<p>“The City’s own budget documents show at least about R27 million budgeted for the drone programme between 2023/24 and 2028/29,” Dickson shared with the<em> Cape Argus.</em></p>

<p>“The amounts identified are: 2023/24: R5 million, 2024/25: R2.2 million, 2025/26: R12.8 million, 2027/28: R3 million, 2028/29: R2 million.</p>

<p>ShotSpotter identifies a suspect.</p>

<p>Image: File</p>

<p>“The 2023/24 budget describes the spending as additional Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) hardware and software. RPAS means drones."</p>

<p>Dickson added the City also previously announced a much bigger safety technology programme of R624 million over the medium term. </p>

<p>She said this included R94.5 million for aerial surveillance, R15 million for drones, and R10 million for gunshot detection technology.</p>

<p>“There is also a City tender, 181G/2024/25, for the procurement of drones, related equipment and software for Safety and Security,” Dickson said.</p>

<p>“The City has reported thousands of drone flights. Its own performance reporting refers to 2 835 drone flights in 2023/24. The City/DA also claimed drone operations would increase towards about 3 000 flights per year.”</p>

<p>Dickson said the City must account for every rand spent on safety technology.</p>

<p>“After ShotSpotter, residents are entitled to ask whether the drone programme is delivering real safety outcomes, or just more expensive technology with impressive flight numbers but little proof of impact in crime ridden communities.</p>

<p>“The City has budgeted millions for drones, drone software and aerial surveillance. But the public should not only be told how many flights took place. We need to know what those flights achieved.</p>

<p>“How many guns were recovered? How many arrests were made? How many prosecutions followed? Which communities actually benefited as a direct result of these drones.</p>

<p>“If drones are working, show us the results. If they are not, stop selling surveillance as safety.”</p>

<p>Smith said: “The City’s efforts to introduce drones into the safety and security environment is well documented. The spend outlined refers to capital expenditure used to acquire the equipment and related software to advance the City’s internal capabilities and reduce reliance on external service providers.”</p>

<p>Jay Jay Idel, executive director, Fight Against Crime SA (FACSA), called for transparency regarding the expenditure on both projects and tender processes where only one bidder was insight.</p>

<p>“Eye in the Sky” plane monitors incident in real time, providing intel to law enforcement agencies.</p>

<p>Image: File/Mahira Duval</p>

<p>“The City of Cape Town cannot expect residents to simply accept that major public safety initiatives have come and gone without providing comprehensive information regarding procurement processes, performance outcomes, operational effectiveness, and lessons learnt,” he said.</p>

<p>“If only one provider is realistically capable of bidding for a project, communities have a right to understand how that position arose and whether alternative solutions were adequately explored."</p>

<p>The<em> Cape Argus</em> also queried what the successes were for the <a href="https://capeargus.co.za/news/2026-06-16-exclusive-shock-as-jp-smiths-grand-eye-in-the-sky-project-canned/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eye in the Sky,</a> to which Smith said that it had been critical in a search and rescue operations in locating the body of a student on Table Mountain and assisting a fishing vessel in distress in 2025 and catching poachers.</p>

<p>The <em>Cape Argus</em> has since reached out to the South African National Parks (SANParks) and awaits feedback.</p>

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<p><a href="https://capeargus.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Cape Argus</strong></a></p>

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