Commercial real estate

V&A Waterfront embraces intelligent security

Organization: The V&A Waterfront

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Customer need: Public safety

Cape Town, South Africa, 2023

Expanding its network of Axis cameras, V&A Waterfront takes the next step forward in proactive surveillance.

A place where people gather

The Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront in Cape Town is a global landmark, attracting millions of locals, tourists, and business visitors to South Africa’s Mother City annually. Attracting over 24 million people a year, the 123-hectare mixed-use development is home to residential and commercial properties, including hotels, retail districts, dining, leisure and entertainment facilities, as well as a host of heritage sites and tourism landmarks.

A few years ago, the V&A Waterfront undertook a complete overhaul of its surveillance and monitoring systems. Using Axis IP cameras in collaboration with Milestone Systems’ video management software, the V&A transformed an ageing analogue system into a fully managed digital surveillance environment. Now, more than nine years on and having experienced significant expansion of the precinct, the team at the V&A investigated adding more intelligence to its environment and expanding the number of cameras into these new areas.

Security: A full management support solution

According to Deon Sloane, Senior Operations Manager at the V&A Waterfront, the existing system made up of over 900 Axis cameras was serving the environment well. However, due to various expansions, more units were needed. Expansion areas included the Silo District, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) and No.1 Silo to No.5 Silo – a blend of residential and commercial facilities – as well as a revamp of the Canal District, which includes Waterway House, Dock Road Junction, Battery Park, and its car park.

We initially chose Axis because of the low failure rate and quality of its products – something the cameras we installed more than nine years ago have themselves proved. Its outdoor cameras are also able to withstand harsh environments. This is a must for us as we are close to the ocean. So simply, it made sense for us to stick with the solution we knew and expand on what we had for our new sites while also exploring new features and technologies available today,” says Sloane. “Axis has become an invaluable technology partner, providing excellent service levels and continuous involvement of the Axis team at all levels.

Deon Sloane

Senior Operations Manager at the V&A Waterfront Cape Town.

V&A expands its security footprint

Expanding its environment from 900 to over 1 300 cameras and partnering with Milestone Systems, the V&A Waterfront security team and Axis partner Cygnetic set about expanding the camera footprint and adding even further intelligence into the system. The system provides the security team with an “all eyes” approach. enabling them to respond proactively to incidents and events. All common areas are monitored, and information is fed directly into the control room, which is manned 24/7.

Using Milestone software, the V&A Waterfront can retrieve footage in seconds and react immediately. Operators are trained to pick up suspicious behaviour, and the cameras allow the team to notice activities whilst they are playing out - apprehending the suspect before and/or when they have committed a crime. This level of profiling gives operators an edge over criminals.

Years after the initial installation, our Axis solutions are still up and running. No other brand can compete with the quality of the products from Axis. They stay ahead of the competition by investing in research and development. Its local support is unmatched, and its technology is always innovating. That is why nine years on, the V&A will still proudly recommend Axis Communications as a supplier of choice.

Deon Sloan

Senior Operations Manager at the V&A Waterfront Cape Town.

Sloan further elaborated that they use the system for not only safety, surveillance and security, but as a full management support solution. Due to the large amount of foot traffic and carpark traffic, we can leverage the system to assist with traffic flow management, using the cameras as our eyes so we can identify congestion and take action. In the case of foot traffic, we can monitor and track the movement of people and implement crowd management when we and our tenants host events such as those held on New Year’s Eve – or during particularly busy parts of the season. The cameras allow us to monitor the crowds and take proactive measures to manage the throngs of people.