PLANS by the Windhoek City Police to introduce closed-circuit television (CCTV) in its fight against crime moved a step closer on Tuesday night.

This year's City of Windhoek annual budget shows the City has budgeted N$7 million to get a pilot CCTV project off the ground within the current financial year.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting on Wednesday morning, City Police Chief Abraham Kanime said the project was close to implementation, with a public briefing expected to be held by August.

The City Police and Emergency Management division, which includes Windhoek's Fire Brigade, will receive eight per cent of the total municipal budget in the current financial year.

This leaves the department with N$24,1 million with which to finance its current projects.

Chief Executive for Finance Roger Gertze said that the maintenance of the City Police's vehicle fleet and the purchase of new vehicles would be another priority for the department, with N$5 million set aside for this.

"We must consider that most of these vehicles were bought about five years ago and are continually running. If the quality of the service is to be kept, this [new vehicles] will be required," Gertze said.

The City Police will have to put two of its envisioned projects for the year on hold, Kanime said.

The department initially requested money for the construction of two fire stations, a disaster management centre and the implementation of the CCTV system.

Following a review, only one fire station will be built this year, at Otjomuise, to the tune of N$10 million.

Two more stations, intended for Klein Windhoek and Olympia, will have to wait until the next financial year.

Kanime said the City Police would also look at the acquisition of more speed cameras to be placed throughout the city, given his observation that the City's streets are increasingly used "as racetracks".