In September 2025, the City of Johannesburg officially repealed its controversial CCTV by-law, just months after it was introduced. The regulation, which required private property owners to register their surveillance cameras, pay annual fees, and submit technical plans, was meant to strengthen public safety. Instead, it triggered backlash from residents, businesses, and civil society organisations who saw it as costly, impractical, and potentially unconstitutional.
Groups like the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) and the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) challenged the by-law in court, arguing that it violated rights and was pushed through without meaningful consultation. Under mounting pressure, the City council rescinded the by-law before the legal challenge could proceed.
As OUTA’s Advocate Stefanie Fick put it: “Repealing this by-law is a victory for common sense. It was never about public safety – it was about squeezing law-abiding residents for more money.”
Why the By-law Fell Apart
From a risk mitigation lens, the by-law contained several critical flaws:
Governance misstep: Regulations must build trust, not suspicion. By placing costs and restrictions on ordinary residents, the City undermined confidence in its motives.
Operational impracticality: For many households and small businesses, the compliance burden would have made private CCTV, one of the most effective crime deterrents, too expensive or complex to maintain.
Legal exposure: The City’s attempt to restrict footage access and assert control over private surveillance raised constitutional red flags, leaving the law open to challenge.
Lessons for Risk Mitigation
At Forum Integrated Risk Mitigation (FIRM), we see this repeal not just as a policy reversal, but as a valuable case study in how regulation and risk intersect. The key takeaways:
Engage stakeholders early: Laws and by-laws that ignore resident input are doomed to face resistance. Consultation isn’t a box-ticking exercise; it’s a core part of risk mitigation.
Balance safety and rights: Urban security strategies must protect communities without eroding constitutional freedoms. Heavy-handed controls create more risk than they reduce.
Focus resources where they matter: Instead of drafting burdensome by-laws, municipalities should prioritise fixing infrastructure and delivering core services that directly affect safety: functioning streetlights, reliable traffic systems, and responsive policing.
Leverage collaboration: CCTV works best as part of an integrated safety ecosystem, where private systems complement public policing through voluntary partnerships, not coercion.
A Forward Path for Johannesburg
The repeal of the CCTV by-law offers Johannesburg a chance to reset. Rather than trying to monetise or overregulate community-driven security efforts, the City should work with residents, businesses, and security experts to design collaborative frameworks that truly improve urban safety.
For Forum Integrated Risk Mitigation, the message is clear: good governance and sound risk management go hand in hand. When regulation is built on consultation, transparency, and practicality, it strengthens both security and public trust.