Mbabane – Matsapha needs CCTV cameras to strengthen crime prevention and monitoring in the industrial town, according to Royal Eswatini Police Service officer Bheka Masilela.
He raised concern over the reported increase in criminal activity in Matsapha, saying the installation of surveillance cameras across the town would help authorities monitor suspicious activity, prevent crime and respond more effectively to incidents.
His call comes as Minister of Housing and Urban Development Hon Appolo Maphalala announced that Matsapha, Ezulwini and Manzini will join Mbabane in the rollout of CCTV cameras.
Maphalala made the announcement during the launch of the second edition of the Eswatini Urban Forum 2026, where he spoke about the need for urban areas to adopt technology to improve safety and the management of towns.
Masilela’s call places particular focus on Matsapha, one of the country’s major industrial areas, where increased movement of workers, businesses and vehicles creates a need for effective monitoring of public spaces.
He said CCTV cameras would give law enforcement an additional tool to monitor areas where criminal activities may occur and assist investigations when incidents are reported.
Mbabane was the first municipality to introduce the CCTV system, with installation beginning in the Central Business District in March 2025 under its Smart City project.
The system has since expanded, with the Mbabane Municipal Council reporting 60 security cameras installed across the city. The cameras are linked to a control room operated by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service.
The planned expansion means that Matsapha, Manzini and Ezulwini could soon have similar surveillance infrastructure as government seeks to extend smart-city technology beyond the capital.
For Matsapha, the proposed cameras would come as the town undergoes other changes, including the rollout of a digital street addressing system intended to give properties and streets formal addresses and improve navigation and emergency response.
The CCTV rollout could therefore add another layer of technology to the town’s efforts to improve urban management and public safety.
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