Gauteng e-Panic Button launched
The Gauteng provincial government has launched an e-Panic Button as part of a broader strategy to fight crime.
The e-Panic Button will allow users to instantly alert emergency services and law enforcement at the touch of a button, ensuring quick response in times of distress.
The province said that the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to leverage technology in crime prevention and ensure the safety of citizens.
Since the pilot project launched in April 2023, it has seen 8,000 downloads, primarily from nurses and teachers. The aim is to distribute 100,000 physical buttons to the public.
Residents with smartphones will be able to download the app from the App Store and Google Play Store.
“Safety is a shared responsibility. We need the community to be actively involved in these initiatives, to be the eyes and ears on the ground. The e-Panic Button is a crucial step forward, but its success depends on the community’s engagement and trust,” said MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko.
The province said that the panic button received widespread support from residents during a Crime Imbizo in Sebokeng.
The e-Panic Button is set to be rolled out across the province with training sessions planned to ensure that residents know how to use it.
Gauteng previously told MyBroadband that the panic button trial app cost R2 million and could accommodate up to 14,000 users.
“Remarkably, the launch was smooth, free from teething issues, owing to the robust software-as-a-service model utilised.”
Following the pilot phase, Gauteng planned to increase its user base to 100,000.
Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng
During his State of the Province address in February, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi said 1,379 armed response activations to emergency calls and 1,086 ER24 calls were promptly responded to through the app.
“We have learnt many lessons from our pilot through the project on how to leverage existing technologies in the private sector as an alternative to duplicating products and services,” Lesufi said.
Jacob Mamabolo, Gauteng’s MEC for finance, first announced the concept of e-panic buttons for Gauteng residents during the province’s medium-term budget policy statement in November 2022.
The province put out a tender for panic button service providers to bring their propositions to the table in March 2023.
The province also said it was in discussions with mobile operators about zero-rating the app.
“Our existing business relationships with these telcos will facilitate this process, ensuring wider and more equitable access,” it said.
Reporting with BusinessTech. Article reproduced with permission.
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