Education

UWC enables intelligent security monitoring with a network of Axis cameras

Organization: University of the Western Cape (UWC)

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Customer need: Public safety, Safety

Cape Town, South Africa, 2025

Network video helps keep university staff and students safe.

A connected security strategy to meet unique needs

The University of the Western Cape (UWC), one of South Africa's leading institutions of higher learning and research, needed to replace its outdated security camera system with a digital one that could cope with the diverse monitoring and access challenges of its campus. With the help of Axis network video solutions, UWC is now equipped with the means to not just monitor its campus and facilities, but also to retrieve and store high-quality and detail-focused surveillance material.

“We’re committed to the safety and security of our students, staff and visitors,” said Bentley Jeftha, Director of Risk and Compliance at UWC. "We pride ourselves on using only the best technology to combat crime at this university. We, therefore, have partnered with Axis Communications to ensure we use the best of the best in our surveillance systems.”

Out with the old, in with the new

Home to more than 23 000 students and 2 400 academic, professional, and support staff, the UWC campus in Cape Town poses unique challenges concerning the safety and security of its personnel, facilities, and physical resources and equipment. The campus has multiple entry points, with students, staff, and visitors entering and exiting at all times of the day.

The university used an analogue video camera system that became redundant and had not been supported by the manufacturer since 2013. Rather than attempt to replace the outdated system with another analogue solution, UWC chose to explore the potential of recent innovations in CCTV and network surveillance technology.

The new solution would need to be versatile and flexible, adaptable to the individual requirements of campus buildings and facilities, and offer network capabilities that would enable proactive monitoring and real-time responses to deter and mitigate threats.

Trusted industry partners

To bring its infrastructure up to date, UWC turned to trusted Axis partner Bona Basix to select and deploy a series of intelligent surveillance cameras and an accompanying network system. This system would give the campus security team and service providers the tools to proactively monitor locations in real time and provide control room operators with alert notifications in the event of a threat.

Bona Basix opted for a selection of Axis network camera devices that offer the reliability and scalability required to meet the evolving needs of the institution. The devices, boasting the latest innovations in edge computing and high levels of manoeuvrability, video quality, and durability, were installed across the campus at strategic points to achieve maximum visibility and coverage.

With these new installations, UWC is equipped with technology that provides comprehensive coverage of its campus. Axis solutions offer unrivalled forensic detail thanks to built-in analytic capabilities. With the help of Axis and Bona Basix, the institution’s present and future surveillance needs are taken care of thanks to scalable and supported solutions designed to combat criminal activities such as trespassing, theft, and vandalism.

The right camera for the right setting

Following a consultation and mapping process that included testing for low and bright light, and facial, object, and vehicle details, Bona Basix installed devices from the AXIS M Series, F Series, and P Series ranges of network video cameras. This selection of dome, modular, and bullet cameras offer a discreet design and are built to withstand various environmental and weather conditions. Having been installed at other institutions of higher education, these cameras have demonstrated their applicability and reliability.

AXIS P14 Bullet Cameras Series, built for 24/7 surveillance and video resolution outputs of up to 4K, were installed for outdoor applications, while AXIS M30 Dome Camera Series dome cameras that offer wide-angle 360-degree panoramic views were installed at indoor locations. To enable facial recognition using a third-party partner solution and viewing at the campus’s various turnstiles and walking points of entry, AXIS F Modular Camera Series modular cameras with multi-channel units that offers a wide range of applications were also installed.

Vehicle monitoring and access control

As part of its installation of Axis network video products, UWC chose Axis cameras for license plate recognition (LPR) and monitoring at its motor vehicle points of entry. Empowered by LPR analytics that compare captured license plates with an existing list, these cameras allow operators and systems to respond to vehicles automatically.

The addition of vehicle monitoring further strengthens the university's ability to control access to its campus and facilities. This contributes to a safe environment for students to go about their studies and for staff to carry out day-to-day operations.

The benefits of smart surveillance

Even the smartest systems will struggle with storage if this isn’t accounted for. That’s where Zipstream comes in. “Axis Zipstream is a collection of algorithms that run directly on the camera, analysing every scene and compressing them more or less, depending on the regions of interest," said Heino Hacke at Axis Communications. "This gives a massive reduction of 50% or more on bandwidth and storage without compromising video quality."

Although security personnel can view live footage from multiple control rooms, UWC policy states that only the main security control room can review and save video footage. A centrally located external network attached storage (NAS) drive was installed to store and manage footage. When necessary, authorised personnel can access this drive from any location on the network.

Safeguarding knowledge

With over 2,000 devices installed at UWC by the end of 2022, Axis is playing an essential role in safeguarding the university’s students, resources, and knowledge. As UWC continues with its ongoing projects and enjoys more efficient and reliable security, Axis and its partners are setting a new standard in surveillance with a range of scalable and versatile network video solutions.