There are many differences from an SRA. The biggest is that the SCVID is voluntary. We are not asking for people to vote to force their neighbour to pay a compulsory tariff.

We are focused on improving Sandbaai, starting with preventing crime, this year, not over the next decade. While the proposed SRA was trying to get votes to enact a tariff, we have already installed more cameras than they had planned to install by 2030.

Another major difference is that we are independent from the municipality. They do not collect tariff money on our behalf and do not instruct us what is best for Sandbaai. We will work with them, but on the Sandbaai community’s chosen priorities.

We are also not starting with an overinflated budget for outdated unreliable camera systems that require a huge budget that we have to raise funds for first.

When we are divided into multiple groups, we have less bargaining power to get things done in Sandbaai. If a beach clean up is advertised on 2 WhatsApp groups, it might get 5 people to show up. With the support of the SCVID we can get dozens of people to help and clean a larger area.

The same principle applies to the issue of combatting crime in Sandbaai. By joining the SCVID you lend your voice to our mission of improving Sandbaai and representing all of us. Members vote on initiatives. Members help shape the goals of Sandbaai.

With membership free, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Help us help you. Join today.

The Sandbaai Community VID members will make suggestions and those suggestions will be voted on by members. The suggested improvements will be implemented by the SCVID. Where necessary, the SCVID will coordinate with the municipality where approval is necessary and comply with regulations.

No. The Sandbaai Community VID is a registered NPC (Non-profit company) that represents the interests of Sandbaai under the framework of a voluntary improvement district. The directors are volunteers who live in Sandbaai.

No. SCVID is voluntary across the board. The Directors are contributing their time and expertise free of charge.

The SCVID approach to crime prevention is to bring together:
• A.I. camera networks for early warning
• CCTV monitoring
• Our public Spotters groups
• Sandbaai Neighbourhood Watch patrols
• Private security companies working together
• Law Enforcement and SAPS
• Reduction of opportunities for criminals

None of these tactics by itself will stop all crime, but together they can prevent crime before it happens.

Times can be tough. We get it. We are not going to slam the door in our neighbour’s face because they can’t pay. We are not forcing anyone to pay. We believe that your worth to the community is more than how much money you have. If you cannot pay anything, we are still going to work to make Sandbaai better for all of us.

Perhaps you could help in other ways? You might volunteer to help with beach cleanup or removing weeds in greenbelts or join the neighbourhood watch and help with patrols. We are happy to have you join, even if you cannot pay anything. We do ask that if your finances change and you like what we are doing you contribute what you can.

This kind of attitude pits neighbours against each other, which is contrary to our mission. If you are paying R150 a month to the SCVID and your neighbour is paying R300, that does not mean you are not as valuable a member. We should each do our part according to our means to improve our community, no matter how much other people give or do not give. If my monthly contribution helps subsidise my neighbours who are struggling to pay for groceries on a pension, I am happy to help. If we all work together, you will be amazed what we can accomplish.

No. SCVID has no need to be PSIRA registered. We are a VID, not a security company. Our cameras will be monitored by a PSIRA registered company. We support patrols that fall under a PSIRA registered organisation. We are in full compliance with PSIRA but have no requirement to be PSIRA registered.

No. Because of our approach to investing in infrastructure up front and then financing it, our costs will go down as we gain new contributors and capital, like cameras, is paid off.

SCVID will share the budget with members so you know exactly where your contributions are going.

The first stage is to create a virtual wall around Sandbaai, which will use A.I. to detect potential threats. The A.I. will alert the control room, which can assess whether there is a threat or not. If needed, all patrollers will be notified and coordinate to react before the crime is committed.

The second stage is an A.I. network grid throughout Sandbaai that can track a person of interest’s movements. This allows the network to warn residents of a potential crime before it happens and allows responders to go straight to the location of the intruder, instead of driving around in circles searching for criminals.

Additionally, when the cameras detect someone near the boundary of private property, it will trigger an alarm and flashing lights, which usually causes criminals to run away from the attention.

Yes. The reason some people have said you can’t cover Sandbaai with cameras is because they are operating under the assumption that we must pay more than R80 000 per camera plus inflated radio costs, as the SRA proposed. But that is not the reality. We can install 15 to 20 reliable A.I. cameras on fibre for the cost of only one radio signal camera.

We are working on completing the system in 2025. Our camera grid with the digital fence along our borders will detect intruders entering Sandbaai, track their location within Sandbaai, and coordinate with all participating security providers.

Yes. More security is only going to help. By keeping your private security company contract, you are encouraging them to participate in general crime prevention in Sandbaai. SCVID does not replace your private security, we assist them. We help them better protect their customers while encouraging them to help us in our protection of public spaces. Our A.I. camera grid will pinpoint where the criminals are and alert armed response that will stop them or capture them. Your security company can work with other responders to get to your property faster and make it very difficult for criminals to commit crime. When crime in Sandbaai is decreased, we all benefit.

There has been a lot of discussion about camera failure because a certain organisation invested in cameras that don’t work and utilise outdated radio technology. During the past year their cameras seem to have been down more than they have been recording. Numerous crimes happen right under their cameras and nothing is done. There have been many excuses about the costs of maintenance or that we had a little bit of wind, but they continue to try and promote those cameras. When your property has been invaded by criminals you don’t want to hear excuses.

During the same period of time those other cameras were failing, CSI was testing our cameras in the same area and had excellent results. Responders were alerted, crime was prevented, and video was recorded. A major difference is that our cameras do not rely on radio towers and dishes, which often stop working and cost 13 times more to maintain. If one of our cameras were to fail, the network would send an alert and all the other cameras would continue to work. But our cameras are on a fibre network and are very unlikely to fail in the first place.

Most of us in Sandbaai enjoy living away from a larger city, like Cape Town, but there are times when disasters strike our connection to the internet. Fires, storms, and cable theft are real challenges we face. If the internet goes down for all of Sandbaai, you won’t even be able to send a WhatsApp.

Even with no internet, the SCVID cameras will continue to record activity and sound alerts. Patrollers will be on high alert with an increased presence. Our responders have radios for communication with the monitoring centre in case cell signals go down, but our cameras are on dependable fibre connections and battery backup systems.

Yes. We may not always agree with our neighbours, but we must work together to make Sandbaai the best it can be. All Sandbaaiers are welcome to join, regardless of past disagreements or conflicts. Join hands with us in improving Sandbaai. At the end of the day we all want a safe neighbourhood that is clean and friendly. We can do it together. You are welcome in the SCVID.

No. We are a voluntary improvement district, building a system that makes security companies more effective and deters criminals before they act. We recognise that professional security teams are best equipped to provide armed response and we assist them with technology and information.

Visit our contributions page to find out the details.

Money raised by SCVID will be spent in Sandbaai on security and improvement projects that are voted on by our members. Audits will be shared with members to show how each Rand is spent.

If you live in Sandbaai, you can join, even if you are renting.

If you own property in Sandbaai, but do not live in Sandbaai, you can still join.

If you own a business in Sandbaai, you can join, even if you don’t live in Sandbaai.

If you do not live in Sandbaai or fit the above criteria, you cannot join the SCVID. The reason is that we are representing the people of Sandbaai and their goals and interests. Members vote on initiatives and it would not be fair to give anyone who does not have a clear vested interest in Sandbaai an equal vote.

If a group is working to improve Sandbaai, we want to work with them. Rather than reinvent the wheel or replace groups, we want to take what works and help make it even more effective. Groups we support include but are not limited to:
• Sandbaai Neighbourhood Watch
• Schulphoek Action Group
• volunteer cleaning projects
• participating private security companies

In the future we plan to collaborate with other great organisations for a greater Sandbaai. If you have a suggestion, let us know by emailing admin@scvid.co.za

We ask our members for their name, phone number, and email so that we can communicate with them by WhatsApp and email newsletters. For all the technical details, view our privacy policy.

Yes, there have been crimes that happened recently right under the noses of security cameras. However, the cameras where these crimes occurred were not SCVID cameras. We cannot be responsible for crimes that happen under OVSRA cameras in Onrus or cameras in Sandbaai operated by a company that does not coordinate with us.

We hope that in the future the outdated radio signal cameras that often don’t work will be replaced by more modern A.I. cameras on fibre. We hope that the groups that have refused to work together for crime prevention will join our network in the future. We should be united in our common goal of protecting Sandbaai.

Here are some of the other areas with CIDs:

Airport Industria City Improvement District
Athlone CID
Blackheath CID
Cape Town Central City Improvement District
Claremont CID
Epping City Improvement District
Fish Hoek Business Improvement District
Greater Tygerberg Partnership
Green Point CID
Groote Schuur Community Improvement District
Maitland CID
Muizenberg Improvement District
Observatory Improvement District
Oranjekloof CID
Paarden Eiland CID
Parow Industria CID
Sea Point CID
Triangle Farm City Improvement District
Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District
Vredekloof Community Improvement District
Woodstock Improvement District
Wynberg Improvement District
Zeekoevlei Peninsula

Our priorities will be determined by the votes of our members, the people of Sandbaai. They will change as we grow as a community. Right now our priorities are the following:

1. Crime prevention is our first priority. It doesn’t matter how nice the flowers in the greenbelt are if your house is getting robbed. It doesn’t matter how nice the sign for your business is if your employees and customers are getting mugged on the way there. So we place crime prevention first.
2. Our second priority is cleaning and maintenance, which has also been shown to lead to lower crime rates. When public spaces are well-maintained, there are less places for intruders to hide. When there is no trash on the streets it shows that we care about our community.
3. Our third priority is improving our general infrastructure. Each of these priorities works together to make life in Sandbaai better for everyone. As our members suggest new priorities and vote on what we should be focused on, we will adapt to meet the needs of Sandbaai.

We will be regularly audited and publish the results to our members. We are SARS registered. We are governed by our bylaws, the regulatory framework for CID/VID organisations, and the regulations for Non-Profit Companies. Ultimately we answer to the people of Sandbaai. SCVID members vote on initiatives, view the audits, and we will answer any questions you have.

We will send out quarterly newsletters and hold meetings as needed, but you can reach out to us at any time. You can message directly through WhatsApp or Facebook or email. We want to hear from you.

No. SCVID Is a Voluntary Improvement District. CSI is a security camera network developer. They are based in Sandbaai. If you have questions, contact them through their website at https://sandbaaicsi.co.za

We are serious about personal freedom. You can quit at any time. If you have signed up for recurring contributions, simply notify us and we will stop them. We will earn your trust, not demand it. If we are not doing a good job, you don’t have to pay us. If we are doing a good job, we hope you will contribute more.

You set the amount you contribute. Only you determine if you want to increase your contribution. When you see the positive results of the SCVID, we hope you will.

Our plan uses investments up front to improve security NOW rather than later. This means that our costs will actually decrease over time, which will allow us to focus on other objectives that the community determines.

The SCVID was formally created as an NPC in March 2025, but the planning for it dates back as far as 2023. It began as an idea for how to fund crime prevention initiatives, including a security camera network in Sandbaai, without forcing mandatory tariffs on people. It has grown to include all kinds of improvements based on the feedback from our neighbours here in Sandbaai.

We would love to hear from you. Chances are that someone else will have the same question. Send us any questions you have at info@scvid.co.za and we will reply promptly. Thank you for helping us be better.