South African AI surveillance innovation expands from security to business intelligence, targets global growth

South African non-profit security provider CAP is redefining the role of CCTV by transforming its traditional SmartGuard surveillance infrastructure into an artificial intelligence-powered business intelligence platform that helps organisations improve operational efficiency, safety, compliance and decision-making.

Already providing CCTV solutions to more than 400 clients across residential estates, corporate campuses and commercial and industrial properties, SmartGuard has introduced a cloud-based AI platform that analyses video feeds using highly customised prompts designed specifically for each client's operating environment.

“SmartGuard is an important part of CAP’s offering,” says Sean Jammy, CAP Deputy CEO. “Not only do we secure stakeholders by monitoring almost 5 000 cameras, but the business unit provides revenue for CAP to deploy to secure residents across Johannesburg safer, thanks to our unique shared value non-profit model.”

Customised AI prompts for business operations

Unlike generic AI applications, the SmartGuard platform is configured to address the unique operational priorities of every business, enabling organisations to extract meaningful insights from their existing camera networks. According to CAP the technology represents a significant shift in how organisations can leverage surveillance infrastructure, not simply to enhance security, but to improve business performance.

"Businesses have invested significantly in camera infrastructure over many years. The opportunity now is to make those assets work harder by turning them into intelligent data collection and operational management tools," Ben Doron, who heads up SmartGuard within CAP,  says.

Hybrid model combines AI and human oversight

The platform combines the latest advances in artificial intelligence with human expertise, creating a hybrid operating model that challenges the perception that AI inevitably replaces jobs. While AI rapidly processes thousands of hours of video footage and identifies patterns, anomalies and predefined events, trained operators remain central to the system by validating findings, interpreting context and making informed decisions where human judgement is essential.

"The future is not AI replacing people; it is AI empowering people to make faster, more informed decisions. Human oversight remains critical because context, judgement and experience cannot be automated."

Operational insights beyond security

The technology extends well beyond traditional security applications. In industrial and commercial environments, organisations can monitor compliance with health and safety protocols, including whether employees are wearing personal protective equipment such as hard hats. The platform can also monitor warehouse productivity, loading and offloading operations, identify illegal dumping, analyse vehicle and driver behaviour, and provide operational insights that improve efficiency across entire facilities.

For retailers, the platform delivers customer analytics including footfall monitoring, occupancy levels and heat mapping to better understand customer movement and optimise store layouts and staffing.

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, SmartGuard customises AI prompts around each client's operational requirements, enabling businesses to build highly specific monitoring and reporting capabilities that evolve as their needs change. The result is a comprehensive operational view that helps organisations move from reactive monitoring to proactive business management.

"This is about giving organisations a 360-degree view of their operations. Security becomes only one component of a much broader business intelligence capability."

International growth and expansion plans

The innovation has also begun attracting international attention. Developed in South Africa, the platform has already been deployed across international markets, with 1,000 cameras connected in the United Kingdom and United States during the past six months.

Building on that momentum, SmartGuard plans to expand its international footprint significantly, targeting 10,000 connected cameras globally by the end of next year.

“By merging South African innovation with best-of-breed software, we have created a unique offering which has been well received in large overseas markets, and we are well poised to grow and create South African jobs as a result.”

As organisations increasingly seek solutions that maximise existing infrastructure while improving operational performance, AI-enabled video analytics is emerging as a strategic business tool rather than simply a security investment. For SmartGuard, the convergence of artificial intelligence and human expertise represents the next evolution of smart surveillance: one that positions South African innovation at the forefront of a rapidly expanding global market. ends