CCTV Buyer's Guide for South African Homes
Updated 2026-07-11
A CCTV system is only as good as the footage it produces at the moment you need it. Plenty of South African homeowners discover — after a break-in — that their cameras were too low-resolution to identify anyone, or that the recorder had been off since the last power cut. Here's how to buy well.
Resolution: enough to identify, not just to notice
- 2MP (1080p) is the practical minimum for a home. Fine for general coverage.
- 4MP – 5MP is the sweet spot for entrances, driveways and gates where you want to read a face or a number plate.
- 8MP (4K) is worth it only on a wide, important view — and it eats storage.
More cameras at good resolution beats a couple of ultra-high-resolution cameras pointed at the wrong places. Prioritise entry points: gates, front and back doors, the driveway.
IP vs analogue
- IP (network) cameras give higher resolution, run over network cable and support smarter analytics (line-crossing, person detection). Preferred for new installs.
- Analogue/HD-over-coax is cheaper and can reuse existing cabling — reasonable for a budget upgrade, but a ceiling on quality.
The things people forget
- Night performance. Most break-ins happen after dark. Ask about true low-light or colour night vision, not just infrared range on the box.
- Storage. Work out how many days of recording you keep. A decent NVR with enough drive space to hold 14–30 days of footage matters more than a fourth camera.
- Load-shedding backup. Cameras and the recorder must stay on during outages. Insist on a UPS or battery backup for the NVR and router — otherwise you have blind spots exactly when risk is highest.
- Remote viewing. Confirm you can view live and recorded footage from your phone, and that it's secured with a strong, changed password (not the factory default).
What a good install costs
| System | Indicative installed price |
|---|---|
| 4 cameras, 2MP–4MP, basic NVR | R6,000 – R18,000 |
| 6–8 cameras, 4MP–5MP, larger storage, UPS | R18,000 – R45,000 |
Prices are indicative and depend on camera count, resolution, cabling runs and backup — always get an on-site quote.
DIY vs professional
Plug-and-play Wi-Fi kits from a retailer suit a flat or a single entrance. For whole-home coverage, cabled power-over-ethernet, and integration with your alarm, use a professional installer — and make sure they are PSIRA registered. Compare CCTV installers by city.
Cameras don't stop crime — pair them
CCTV records and deters, but it doesn't respond. Combine it with a monitored alarm and, ideally, armed response so someone acts while it's happening, not just afterward.