In our September 2001 print edition we introduced ‘A Letter From …’ – an occasional new series where a reader gives us a flavour of life beyond the home and office routine. We cheated a little with this piece from Norfolk CCTV consultant Barrie Loftus, who describes a business trip to South Africa in 1998 – but it’s a good read, so why not?
‘You’re going to South Africa,’ says our kindly MD: ‘Don’t worry, it’s all quite safe.’ It seems we are to do a couple of seminars with the South African Police and the CSIR (the South African equivalent of the Police Scientific Development Branch). We had been to SA a few months earlier and had researched the CCTV industry, transmission companies, the financial situation and government involvement (both local and national) as well as crime. We found the crime statistics frightening and were convinced that if ever a country needed a good CCTV system it was South Africa. Yet, having said that, we saw no criminal activity at all and felt quite safe; most of the time anyway. The CSIR had agreed to fund the seminars and make all the necessary arrangements (including taking bookings, arranging venues, printing the brochures etc) so all we had to do was pay our own expenses. I learn my companions are to be John Pond, who’s already out there on holiday, and Micky Hurford, then of SITO (Security Industry Training Organisation) now somewhere in the Far East. I arrange to meet Micky at Terminal 1, Heathrow airport on Saturday, May 2. Why is it these flights always go on a Saturday and always overnight’ Get to the check in ‘ only one point open and a queue that appears to go on forever. I finally reach the front (not too bad, only half an hour) just as another two check ins open up. I am not a happy CCTV consultant. Try for an up-grade ‘ forget it, the plane’s full. Finally got rid of the big suitcase, now all I have is my laptop computer and briefcase. At a time like this a good CCTV consultant acts decisively: we head for the bar! A couple of pints later and life doesn’t seem so bad after all. The time comes to board. Fifteen minutes later and I’m beginning to think I’m walking to South Africa but eventually we get on board. Does anyone know Micky Hurford ‘ he is somewhat broad across the beam and I’m no midget so sitting side by side is a tight squeeze. Any closer and I would be expecting a marriage proposal. Not to worry; it’s only a 12 hour flight! Sunday evening we check out the Johannesburg hotel conference room. It looks all right so we have a quick rehearsal ‘ or it would have been quick if the software would work with the LCD projector. By 9.30 pm the janitor wants to lock up and I want to throw the projector through the window. By 10 pm we’ve sorted it out and everything works fine so it’s off to bed ‘ we have an early start.By 9 am we’ve re-arranged the conference room; or at least we’ve put it back to how it was last night before some kind soul changed the layout! The CSIR representatives arrive and ask ‘what do you want first ‘ the good news or the bad news” We decide to take the bad news first and we’re told that the Durban seminar has been cancelled. We ask for the good news ‘ there isn’t any! We’re expecting 60 delegates ‘ 40 turn up so it’s not too bad. The seminar goes well, the equipment behaves itself, so does Micky and we have a lively question and answer session. One thing that comes across to us loud and clear is that their crime problem is much worse than the UK’s. Another thing we notice is that finance is going to be a major problem ‘ everyone seems to be looking to business for funding crime prevention initiatives and there doesn’t seem to be any obvious channels to tap into for the initial capital outlay and the on-going revenue funding. Although the concept of CCTV was enthusiastically supported and the delegates were lively and very interested in the UK, without local or central government involvement we begin to wonder if a public area CCTV system is feasible. The next day we pack and head for the airport for an internal flight to Cape Town.
People talk a lot about the magic of Table Mountain etc. All I can tell you is that it was very wet and very cloudy. In the three days we were in Cape Town we didn’t see Table Mountain at all ‘ just a lot of cloud. In between the rain (which would have put Manchester to shame) we did manage a little bit of sight seeing but it was soon back into action at the Two Oceans Aquarium for our next seminar. We were expecting about 30 delegates ‘ we got about 12. Yet again, however, they were a lively and well informed audience and the seminar went very well. We had made contact with a member of airport security at the seminar and he was keen to show us his CCTV system. The system itself was all right ‘ picture quality was good at least. Unfortunately the control room left something to be desired and there seemed to be an obvious need for some good staff training. Micky Hurford’s eyes gleamed! That evening we tried a local restaurant reputed to have the largest steaks in the world. When we saw the Bowie knives they used for the steak dinner we began to believe them. When the meal arrived we definitely believed them. Micky had asked for a rare steak; they had taken him at his word. A good vet would have had his dinner back on its feet in 10 minutes. Two hours later three bloated Englishmen made their way slowly back to the hotel. The next day ‘ the Friday ‘ Micky had to leave for the UK. SITO quite unreasonably expected him to work for a living! John and I proceeded to Pretoria where we were given a tour of the CSIR facility and attended a debrief with the CSIR representatives. There was some disappointment with the numbers who attended and we never did fully understand why Durban hadn’t wanted to proceed. On the bright side however we had got a few leads and one in particular (Pretoria) seemed quite promising. We spent a long 12 hours flogging northwards to the UK. We landed in the UK at about 5am ‘ it was raining. For some reason half the world had decided to arrive at Heathrow at the same time. So what about South Africa as a possible export market for CCTV in public areas’ The first thing to remember is that the crime situation is serious. The second is that finance is a problem ‘ local authorities do not get involved as they do in the UK. A CCTV proposal for Johannesburg did not proceed due to lack of funds. Whatever schemes do spring to life appear to be driven by manufacturers. The need is there but it’s nothing like the UK CCTV market. Would I go back and try again’ Probably not ‘ but then again I wouldn’t mind seeing Table Mountain when it wasn’t raining.
