The R300 must-have gadget for drivers in South Africa – MyBroadband

South African motorists can equip their automobiles with a dashcam for effectively beneath R1,000, helpful for capturing proof for insurance coverage investigations, in addition to interactions with corrupt visitors officers.

The Johannesburg High Court just lately made a landmark ruling reaffirming South Africans’ rights to query and movie police with out concern of arrest.

Legal knowledgeable Elton Hart instructed eNCA that the judgment might assist remind legislation enforcement officers, together with these finishing up visitors enforcement duties, to function in accordance with the legislation.

“Normally, people are half bullied by law enforcement officers when they try to record what is really happening at roadblocks, and out of fear that they might get arrested, people don’t record,” he stated.

Some municipal authorities have even inspired drivers to report visitors officers in the event that they imagine they’re performing unlawfully, in order that their footage can be utilized in follow-up investigations.

However, many individuals won’t wish to antagonise folks in positions of energy, particularly given the numerous circumstances by which officers have acted unlawfully in opposition to members of the general public.

Arrive Alive explains that though drivers will not be prohibited from taking pictures or movies at roadblocks, “shoving” telephones into legislation enforcement officers’ faces tends to annoy them.

A dashboard digital camera (or dashcam) can dissuade corrupt visitors officers from performing unlawfully, together with making an attempt to solicit bribes from susceptible residents.

In addition, dashcam footage can be utilized as proof in insurance coverage claims or authorized circumstances involving street accidents, that are a serious difficulty in South Africa.

The prices of small digital devices — together with digital cameras — have come down considerably up to now few years, making gadgets like dashcams extra reasonably priced.

In August 2025, outstanding shops in South Africa are promoting quite a few dashcams for effectively beneath R1,000. At the very low finish are gadgets just like the Volcano Trek, which retail for round R300.

This mannequin is marketed with 1080p Full HD video recording, which can start routinely when movement is detected, together with once you begin driving or somebody strikes inside its 120-degree subject of view.

Essential options to think about

However, Arrive Alive warns that some lower-priced gadgets — even these promoting 1080p decision — might produce low-quality pictures.

While the decision could be excessive, a low bitrate and small digital camera sensor might produce grainy or blurry pictures.

“The difference in quality becomes more obvious in recordings made in poor light conditions, such as night-time driving,” Arrive Alive defined.

Secondly, viewing angles can fluctuate significantly between fashions. Typically, dashcams have between 120 and 160–diploma viewing angles. The wider the angle, the extra the digital camera will seize.

Those contemplating an reasonably priced low-end gadget ought to test critiques from different consumers to get first-hand accounts of the video high quality.

Another essential issue to think about is whether or not the dashcam has a built-in microphone and, if that’s the case, the standard of its sound recordings.

This is very essential in conditions the place a number of the motion is occurring outdoors the digital camera’s view.

Lastly, cheaper dashcams will solely help native recording, whereas higher-end fashions may be related to the Internet through Wi-Fi or a cell community connection for cloud storage or distant monitoring.

This functionality may be pivotal in circumstances the place you’re coping with officers who would don’t have any difficulty confiscating your gadget — and its reminiscence card — in the event that they realise they’re being recorded.

People who can afford to spend a number of 1000’s of rands can anticipate options together with 2K or 4K decision, evening imaginative and prescient, Wi-Fi or cell community connectivity for real-time monitoring, and GPS monitoring.

One of the nation’s hottest digital camera manufacturers, Hikvision, affords many extremely succesful and well-reviewed choices beginning at round R1,000.

A premium model with high-quality gadgets is Garmin, which has gadgets starting from round R3,000 to R10,000.

One of its high choices is the Garmin Dash Cam X310, which information in 4K, can retailer footage within the cloud utilizing a Wi-Fi connection, and helps management through voice or a cell app.