Repairs to the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality’s mobile surveillance vehicle – pictured here several years ago – are nearing completion, with only a high-resolution camera still to be installed. Known as Loerbroer, the vehicle, which was purchased in 2010 at a cost of R6-million, has been out of service for nearly five years. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) After nearly five years parked in a municipal depot, Nelson Mandela Bay’s R6-million mobile surveillance vehicle (MSV), better known as Loerbroer, could be back on the road as early as August. But the metro’s gunshot detection system remains no closer to returning.
Luyanda Lawu, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security, confirmed at a portfolio committee meeting on Friday, 24 July 2026, that the vehicle is “functional”, with only a handful of outstanding components still awaiting delivery.
The high-tech MSV, which was bought ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, was hailed as a powerful crime-fighting tool before a faulty camera, outdated software and a host of technical failures grounded it.
Designed to combat crimes such as cable theft and vandalism, Loerbroer is equipped with 360-degree long-range surveillance technology capable of operating day and night in all weather conditions, detecting a person from up to 10km away and identifying someone carrying a firearm from about 3km away.
Responding to questions from Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor Gustav Rautenbach, acting executive director for safety and security Shadrack Sibiya said the metro has spent R885,846.76 on repairs to the vehicle.
“I’m not going to repeat myself on the success of this vehicle in the past with fighting vandalism and copper theft and so forth.
“We are very concerned about our infrastructure. Copper and cable theft and general vandalism,” Rautenbach said.
/file/attachments/orphans/Gustav_619015.jpg "Nelson Mandela Bay DA councillor Gustav Rautenbach. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
Loerbroer awaits new camera head
Although officials previously told the metro’s safety and security committee that repairs would be completed by the end of May, Sibiya said the project has been delayed because the municipality is still waiting for a replacement main camera head.
The new thermal network multi-spectral pan-and-tilt camera will replace the faulty Zeiss camera currently fitted to the vehicle. Delivery is expected in August, after which the final phase of the project can begin, Sibiya said.
Once all repairs have been completed, phase three will involve training at least seven Metro Police and Security Services officers to operate the vehicle, Sibiya added.
Phases one and two involved sending the MSV to Hensoldt in Pretoria for the assessment and repair of its main camera head, replacing its 12 ageing batteries, fitting new PC monitors and installing a new keyboard.
Despite Sibiya’s optimistic report that the vehicle could soon be back on the road, ANC councillor Luzuko Ndamse said he would believe it only when he saw it operational.
“It has been five years that the same thing has been said. As committee members, we must go and see the vehicle ourselves and make our own assessments,” Ndamse said.
“Just take us there, those who are interested, to go and see everything that is in order so that we can satisfy ourselves and then we can say at least in these five years we saw it, when we leave this office we are happy that the vehicle is functional.”
Lawu on Friday also said it was vital that the department develop a clear plan stipulating the functions of the vehicle.
“No one will just go and request for a truck and the truck must go that side and the truck must go that way.
“There are procedures and laws to be followed in terms of using the vehicle,” he said.
Lawu said that even once the vehicle was operational and carrying out its duties, it would still be important for a detailed report — which councillors have repeatedly requested — to be presented to the committee.
Gunshot detection tool still offline
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Spotter-5.jpg "An example of the message that ShotSpotter sends after shots have been fired. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
While the news on Loerboer seemed positive, the metro’s gunshot detection technology ShotSpotter, a vital tool for real-time gunshot alerts in Helenvale, has been offline since December 2023.
The technology – previously credited with improving police response times and aiding arrests – has been stalled because of contractual disputes with a service provider.
The committee heard on Friday that the next steps would be to cancel the contract with the current service provider and then advertise for a new contractor. No date was given for the implementation of these measures. DM