The South African Police Service has issued a tender for a network of CCTV cameras. This tender, Specification 32161/2024 aims to “establish a roster/panel of qualified suppliers for the provision of closed-circuit television and access control systems for the [SAPS] nationally for a period of five years.”

Through the tender, the SAPS intends to establish a network of Local Security Control Rooms through various police precincts, each observing not only internal secure areas at police stations, including evidence rooms and equipment rooms. These control rooms will then create a larger security network, in which selected incidents can be escalated to a National Security Control Centre (NSCC). The tender document notes in respect to network requirements that it “must be possible to escalate from Local Security Control Centre to [NSCC].”

The tender document notes that bidders must “ensure that all equipment offered is of the latest technology and the latest available model and software release.” Other requirements listed include infrared (IR) illumination, “for both indoor as well as outdoor use in conjunction with the cameras offered such that supplementary IR illumination can be deployed where required.”

In locations where existing backup power generation is needed, or current backups are inadequate, “suppliers are required to provide backup power solutions in several forms, including diesel-powered generators, hybrid inverters with lithium-ion batteries, UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) and solar panels for the CCTV and access control systems.”

CCTV Quality Levels

A minimum of 12 frames per second is required to monitor, “with at least 250 pixels in height over the average length of a person, given as 1.6 meters.”

Recognition quality must achieve facial recognition on the standard test faces of ROTAKIN CCTV evaluation target, “with adequate fidelity to 97% recognition.” (The ROTAKIn target was developed by the UK Home Office Scientific Development Branch as a means of auditing the efficiency of a CCTV system.)

Forensic identification quality specifications require the system to have the capability to define micro level features like scars, moles and wrinkles. This level of quality “should enable identification beyond degree of reasonable doubt.”

Identification of specific items is another requirement, to allow for the capture of “numbering and writing on sealed evidence containers.”

Data storage is required to facilitate investigation of incidents that occur within SAPS facilities. Storage of data is required for a minimum of six weeks.

All potential bidders will be required to demonstrate all CCTV cameras, access control systems and all sub-systems defined within the specifications. Bidders will be required to demonstrate equipment quality, camera picture quality over different distances and conditions along with a degree of technical competence.

Detailed technical training is another stringent requirement, to be provided for selected SAPS personnel, at either a SAPS training facility or a convenient and suitable location for the bidder at their cost.

Each system must include a detailed user manual upon installation and sign off, with the bidder providing additional remote telephonic assistance to users.

Further, elements of the system must be operable in the full range of South African natural environments, including thermal range from -20 degrees to +60 degrees. Any outdoor components must be resistant to water and any corrosive atmospheres.

Bidders are to take note that the provided systems must be scalable and expandable, as future requirements could be needed. Equipment housing must be lockable and with tamper alarms generated when unauthorized entry is attempted.