At his State of the Province Address, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi indicated that the Gauteng Provincial Government will continue to use technology to fight against crime and lawlessness in Gauteng. This includes the use of the e-panic button distributed electronically and physically as an essential tool to safeguard the residents of Gauteng.
Since the launch of the Gauteng e-Panic button in April 2024, the department has seen 100 000 downloads from Gauteng residents and hopes that the number of downloads will increase in 2025.
Since the inception of the panic button, more than 51 000 Gauteng residents have used the e-Panic button to call for help in dire emergencies. The most common incidents where people have been assisted includes motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian vehicle accidents, assaults, shooting and sexual offences.
The leading Gauteng regions with the most recorded incidents are Johannesburg with over 21000 callouts, Ekurhuleni with over 11 000 callouts and Tshwane with callouts over 10 000. Furthermore, the department has started noticing calls from residents pertaining to missing persons which refers to cases of kidnapping in Gauteng.
These are the cities where residents have mainly called for helped: Bram Fischerville, Eldorado Park, Olievenhoutbosch, Tsakane, Cosmo City, Johannesburg Central, Daveyton, Vosloosrus, Dobsonville, Meadowlands, Mohlakeng, Kwa-Thema, Mamelodi, Toekomsrus, Diepkloof, Kagiso, Thulani, Juskei View, Pretoria Central, Ivory Park, Evaton West, Soshanguve South, Bekkersdal, Palm Ridge, Alexandra, Atteridgeville, Thembisa and Ennerdale.
Gauteng e-Government MEC Bonginkosi Dhlamini has commended the progress of the e-Panic button so far.
“It is without a doubt that the e-panic button is making a difference in our communities. Its effectiveness can only be acknowledged if residents download and use it in time of need. Our team is always ready and fully capable of attending to residents when they call for help. Our turnaround time to deploy ambulances or armed response is between 7 – 10 minutes.” said Dhlamini.
Gauteng residents are encouraged to download the e-Panic button on their smart phones which can be found on Google Play or Google Play, or the App Store titled “Gauteng Panic Button”. Those who have already downloaded are encouraged to use the e-panic button in times of emergencies to receive assistance from the command center.
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