Securex South Africa showcases current security trends

 Not only does Securex South Africa provide visitors with the opportunity to see and in some cases, touch current security technology trends, but the Securex Seminar Theatre is packed full of discussions on trends within the industry.

“When we are putting together the Securex Seminar Theatre programme, we enlist the help and input of security industry manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, and the security media, to tackle topics that we believe will stimulate interest and meet the pressing needs of our visitors,” says Mark Anderson, Portfolio Director at Specialised Exhibitions. 

Something for everyone

In their talk on ‘Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS)’, Andreas Matthee and Mark Horton from Tech4IR discussed the use of technology based on Coherent Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (COTDR), which is similar to the time-of-flight principle or RADAR. With Distributed Acoustic Sensing, the fibre cable is the sensor —no dedicated sensors are required, providing complete coverage along the entire cable length.

Rodney Taylor of Guardian Eye outlined ‘The use of AI, Machine Learning and data analytics for security and cybersecurity’. His presentation highlighted how cutting-edge video analytics can transform all your camera streams into a single feed of intelligent alerts that automatically notify the control room with 10-second verification videos.

Lizette Lancaster — Manager: Crime and Justice Information Hub Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the Institute for Security Studies unpacked a rather terrifying look at SAPS crime statistics, indicating that there has been a 62% increase in murders over the past 11 years, and a 32% increase in aggravated robberies over the same period. She proposed several suggestions to help business engage with the SAPS to combat these rising crime numbers.

Overseas presenter Frank Hirthammer from TTE-Europe GmbH, Dresden, Germany spoke about ‘Challenges in implementing explosives tracking and tracing solutions for manufacturers and end users’. He said that the introduction of legal regulations on the Track & Trace of explosives in South Africa demonstrates the commitment to enhancing safety in using explosives. By implementing Track & Trace systems, the government aims to monitor and control the movement of explosives, ensuring their proper handling, storage, and disposal. These regulations play a crucial role in preventing illegal activities, enhancing security measures, and mitigating risks associated with using of explosives. 

Africa Drone Kings’ Andrew Mokotoko’s in-depth presentation on drones for security highlighted how they are proving extremely useful as an aid to:

• Alarm verification.
• Automated response.
• Patrolling and surveillance.
• Data sharing and analysis.
• Incident response.