City of Windhoek and MTC unite in creating a safe city

Charged with the responsibility to ensure the safety and security within the jurisdiction of the city, coupled with the increasing need for smart policing, the leadership of the Municipal Council of Windhoek and Namibia’s premier digital enabler, MTC, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will see the two parties deploy, through the Windhoek City Police Service, more cutting-edge technologies to assist in combatting crime within the city.

As part of the signed consensus, MTC will be pledging support towards CoW safe city concept in partnership with the City Police towards the procurement CCTV equipment and installations thereof. Additionally, the agreement also commits to explore Future Safer City initiatives.

MTC’s Managing Director, Dr. Licky Erastus at the signing ceremony emphasized the significance of employing technology in solving societal challenges, and driving the national development agenda, highlighting that MTC as a digital driver is invariably ready for smart partnerships that embrace digital smart solutions.

“The challenges that face society today require smart partnerships, the embrace of relevant technologies, and innovative approaches to solve. Crime affects all of us and it requires a joint approach to meaningfully curb it. We need to tackle it from all fronts with a collective combat. We are therefore appreciative that the leadership of the Municipality of Windhoek has permitted us to collaborate with its Windhoek City Police Service in sharing resources and efforts aimed at fighting crime through smart policing and cultivating a law-abiding society. It is therefore a pleasure availing top-of-the-range technologies to the Municipality’s safety and security cluster as part of the MOU.”

“In addition to aiding the safe city concept, this cooperation will observe and advance the provision of affordable and universal access to connectivity for residents of the city – through the streamlined approval for new connectivity site acquisition to expand network coverage in the boundaries of the capital city. It will also serve as a framework to support the smart city concepts where enhanced

service delivery, processes and systems efficiency, better access to and management of information are central”. – Dr. Licky.

City of Windhoek’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Moses Matyayi, during the ceremony underscored the significance of this strategic partnership in the City’s ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of life for Windhoek’s residents by advancing safety and security measures through technological means.

“This partnership is a testament to the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors. Through this Memorandum of Understanding, we have established a framework for cooperation that will benefit both parties and, more importantly, the residents of Windhoek. These CCTV cameras will be strategically positioned across key areas of Windhoek, and they will play a pivotal role in deterring criminal activities and fostering a safer environment for all residents.”

During her address at the ceremony, Windhoek Mayor Cllr. Queen Kamati expressed her profound satisfaction with the outcomes of the strategic partnership, emphasizing that the global landscape is rapidly evolving through technological advancements, and it is imperative for the City of Windhoek to remain at the forefront of this transformation.

“One of the main responsibilities of the City Council is to attract investors to the city with the aim of creating jobs for the residents. However, the question we need to ask ourselves is; who would want to invest their money in the city where the safety and security of their investment is not guaranteed? Therefore, this underlines the fact that, safety and security is one of the major factors that potential investors look at before deciding whether or not to invest their funds in a particular country or city.

Mayor Kamati further applauded MTC for being at the forefront of Namibia’s digital transformation, and commended them for their innovation with this partnership, while looking forward to enhancing the great working relationship.

Head: City Police, Chief Leevi Ileka expressed his gratitude citing that the signing of the strategic partnership marks a monumental stride forward in our ongoing pursuit to make Windhoek the safest city in Africa. Thanking MTC for its contribution in making the police job easier when it comes to crime prevention, he concluded that “The implementation of this partnership will have a profound impact on modern day policing, as it will assist us to patrol many places simultaneously without deploying members on the ground. By strategically placing these cameras in key locations throughout our city, it will enhance our ability to prevent and investigate crimes effectively”.