Cape Town’s R30 million police tech under fire

• The R30 million police tech in Cape Town, a gunshot detection system called ShotSpotter, has been taken offline.
• The technology was initially deployed in specific areas in 2016 and extended to several areas in 2023, with the aim of reducing response times for violent crimes and improving policing in high-risk areas.
• The shutdown of the system raises questions about its effectiveness, despite data suggesting it detected nearly 32,000 gunshots and helped recover 31 firearms and 467 rounds of ammunition in the areas where it was implemented.