World leaders in professional communication technology to converge in Cape Town

Hytera, which is a leading global provider of professional communications technologies and solutions, with significant global presence, including 90 offices worldwide serving 120 countries, has signalled that the summit taking place in Cape Town demonstrates South Africa’s progress in adopting advanced communication technologies, especially for public safety. The South African Police Service (SAPS) will be pioneering new, state of the art technology that will be integrated with their existing systems to deliver world-class, reliable communication, as soon as their project is commissioned.

The SAPS in the Western Cape is implementing Hytera’s convergence-native solution to integrate broadband and TETRA networks, delivering resilient, future-proof critical communications for the police in the province.

 
This project is of particular interest to delegates, and the country at large, because for years, officers have grappled with outdated communication tools — some radios date back three decades. Additionally, the Western Cape’s harsh weather conditions, including strong winds damage infrastructure, further exacerbating these challenges of hi-site maintenance.

“Recognising the urgent need for modernization, clear objectives were set for itself. These included improving situational awareness through live video streaming from body‑worn cameras, enabling instant voice communication via push-to-talk, and ensuring seamless coordination between field officers and control centers with GPS tracking,” explains Mark Zheng, Managing Director for Hytera Southern Africa.

Zheng adds that having the Western Cape project as a successful use case helps strengthen efforts in driving mutual growth and innovation in the industry at an international level. “Hytera will welcome its most valued partners from around the world to Cape Town. It is a chance for our partners to connect with industry leaders, from public safety, to mining, to transportation, to utilities, nature reserves and commercial, to share insights about the future of robust, resilient communications,” he says.

 
Zoning in on public safety, Zheng says that the SAPS in the Western Cape has successfully started its journey towards modern, sustainable communications, much like other other organizations around the world in the areas of policing, fire, emergency response teams, mega events and disaster rescue. Hytera technologies and solutions were adopted by local authorities to ensure mission-critical communications during international events such as the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Azerbaijan, APEC in Perú, and G20 Rio de Janeiro summit in 2024.

“The initiative with Public Safety in the Western Cape not only modernizes law enforcement capabilities but also underscores a commitment to sustainable practices — balancing technological advancement with responsibility toward resource conservation and reduced environmental impact.” he says.

“Besides enhanced operational efficiency for officers in the Western Cape, they will enjoy uninterrupted connectivity and improved safety through enhanced situational awareness. This also benefits the public who get faster emergency response and event security, improving accountability and trust. An investment like this not only addresses immediate operational needs but also sets a scalable foundation for future public safety advancements, which fosters a safer, more connected province.”

The summit is designed to showcase how technology is empowering key industries around the world. Delegates will embark on a market intelligence deep dive and access in-depth market analysis while being exposed to cutting edge technologies tailored to an array of industries.

“Hytera focuses on convergent solutions integrating broadband and narrowband technologies, public and private communications. We have a strong belief that the future of critical communications in the LTE/5G era will be a hybrid and convergent approach, combining mission-critical technologies (like TETRA for voice and data), LTE/5G (for big data), and various applications based on different technologies. With this lens, we are excited about the opportunities that will emerge from the 2025 Hytera Global Partner Summit in Cape Town,” says Zheng.