AI CCTV becomes must-have tool to stop burglars in South Africa
Key topics:
AI CCTV gives early alerts for intrusions and cuts false alarms sharply
Systems integrate with existing cameras via CCUs like AVLytics or Brinant
Security firms use AI alerts for faster response and successful arrests
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Two prominent South African security companies say that cameras with artificial intelligence-based incident detection have become a must-have for protecting against home burglaries and invasions.
While closed-circuit television (CCTV) has long been used for protective surveillance of homes and businesses, its effectiveness in proactive security was limited as feeds need to be monitored constantly.
AI CCTV provides an intelligent early-warning system that recognises human movement, suspicious behaviour, perimeter intrusion, and tampering and sends an alert to a user or security company.
That can stop criminals long before they reach vulnerable points like gates, beams, windows, or roof access areas.
Bull Security spokesperson French Jooste told MyBroadband that AI-based CCTV is the “ultimate game-changer” in the industry.
“Unlike traditional systems that simply record events, AI-driven technology actively detects, analyses, and alerts in real time — often before criminals even gain access,” Jooste explained.
“This technology has been tried and tested in real operational environments, and the results speak for themselves.”
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Jooste said that Bull Security had foiled numerous break-ins and achieved multiple successful arrests thanks to early AI event detection and rapid response.
He explained that advanced AI systems were also able to distinguish between humans, animals, vehicles, and environmental movements, reducing false alarms with more basic motion-detection systems.
“This means far fewer false alarms from pets, wind, insects, shadows, or rain,” Jooste said. “It is no longer just a surveillance tool. It’s a proactive, preventative security solution.”
“The technology has also dramatically reduced false alarms, improved overall situational awareness, and accelerated reaction times.”
While homeowners can get smart cameras with built-in AI-based detection from major brands like Tapo, Ring, or Nest, it would take far more time to alert private security of an intruder.
The events detected by these cameras should ideally be sent to control rooms run by private security companies, so that they can respond more quickly in the case of an attempted intrusion.
Integrated with existing camera systems
Bull Security uses an AI-powered system from AVLytics for its Bullseye solution for homes, complexes, and businesses.
The product was developed in Gqberha through a collaboration between software company Cognitive Systems and security equipment wholesaler Intertrade Security Distributors.
It requires that customers get a special camera control unit connected to their existing digital video recorder (DVR) to add AI detection capabilities.
AVLytics supports cameras from nearly all prominent CCTV manufacturers, even low-resolution models with a 352×240 resolution.
Once set up, customers are provided with access to a limited-access Telegram channel where alerts are sent with a short GIF and image showing the detected event with an overlay of the CCTV cameras’ view.
These can be viewed by the Bull Security control room, AVLytics support teams, and end-users. Another Telegram channel allows users to perform basic functions, such as arming or disarming specific cameras.
It is important to note that AVLytics is a form of dark camera technology, which means that the security company can only see AI-detected events.
24/7 feed monitoring will still be available to end-users through the app or web platform they typically use, like Hik-Connect.
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Brinant Security recently also launched its own AI-powered CCTV system called Brinant AI Guardian, which also uses a CCU connected to an existing camera system.
Although it functions similarly to Bull Security’s solution, the system comes with a dedicated mobile app that gives end-users more control over features, including:
Set privacy regions — Draw static privacy masks to exclude certain areas from AI detection and recording.
User access and roles — Assign users and their roles, specify their app password settings and define their notification settings.
Group management — Create groups for cameras that you want to control in bulk.
Schedules — Create smart schedules to automatically arm or disarm your entire site, or individual groups of cameras, based on the time of day and day of the week
Control Room — Connect your off-site monitoring or armed response to the system.
Response settings — Create notes for the armed response company for particular situations, like when you are on holiday.
Each CCU can connect up to eight cameras and send verified events to the Brinant control room in less than five seconds. Supported cameras include ONVIF and RTSP models from Hikvision and Dahua.
This article was first published by MyBroadband and is republished with permission