Gauteng Provincial Government urges residents to use Gauteng e-Panic Button
Gauteng e-Panic Button: A Lifeline for Township Communities, Built on Trust, Privacy and Safety
Gauteng Provincial Government urges residents to download and use the Gauteng e-Panic Button as part of efforts to build safer, smarter and more connected communities.
The provincial government is encouraging residents across the province, particularly those in township and vulnerable communities, to download and use the Gauteng e-Panic Button - an innovative public safety platform designed to connect residents to emergency assistance when every second matters.
The platform is part of government's commitment to harness technology to strengthen public safety, improve access to emergency services and ensure that residents can summon assistance quickly during moments of crisis.
Cybersecurity remains a priority
The Department of e-Government recently identified an attempted security breach involving the e-Panic Button environment. The matter was swiftly identified and addressed, and the department has established that no citizens' personal information was compromised as a result of the incident.
The incident involved a highly specialised organisation with advanced cybersecurity expertise and capabilities in vulnerability identification and security testing.
MEC for e-Government, Research and Development, Mr Bonginkosi Dhlamini, said the department's technical teams acted decisively to address the identified vulnerabilities and strengthen the platform's security controls.
“The security of our systems and the protection of residents' personal information are non-negotiable. The vulnerability was identified, our technical teams implemented corrective measures promptly. This is not an ordinary incident that can simply be replicated by an average IT practitioner,” said MEC Dhlamini.
The Department will continue to undertake appropriate security assessments and implement measures necessary to safeguard government systems and the information entrusted to it by residents.
“We have gone further by requesting additional testing and verification to ensure that all identified security requirements have been addressed and that our systems remain resilient. Cybersecurity is not a once-off exercise. It requires continuous testing, monitoring, strengthening and improvement,” said MEC Dhlamini.
A technology solution designed for the realities of township communities
The Gauteng e-Panic Button reflects government's commitment to ensuring that the benefits of digital technology reach communities that need them most.
The application enables residents to request emergency assistance during criminal incidents, medical emergencies, gender-based violence, fires and other life-threatening situations.
By placing an emergency response mechanism directly in residents' hands, the platform provides an additional channel through which communities can access assistance when conventional avenues may be difficult to reach.
The e-Panic Button is particularly significant for township communities, where residents can face barriers to accessing emergency and safety services. Government is therefore using technology to help close these gaps and bring emergency assistance closer to the people.
Protecting residents' information
The Department recognises that public trust is fundamental to the success of any digital government service.
Residents who use the Gauteng e-Panic Button must have confidence that their personal information is treated responsibly and protected through appropriate security measures.
The Department therefore remains committed to ensuring that information collected through the platform is handled in accordance with applicable legislation, government information-security requirements and principles governing the protection of personal information.
MEC Dhlamini said: “The Gauteng e-Panic Button is ultimately about people. It is about ensuring that when a resident is confronted with danger or an emergency, technology can help them reach assistance as quickly as possible.
“We understand that residents will only use this platform if they trust it. That is why the protection of personal information and the security of the platform remain central to our work. We will continue to test, improve and strengthen the system because we have a responsibility to protect both our residents and the integrity of the technology they rely on.”
Proven impact on the ground
The Gauteng e-Panic Button has already demonstrated significant impact across the province.
To date, the platform has recorded:
- 288,307 active users
- 14,414 emergency call-outs
- 27,929 citizens assisted
- 12,051 lives saved
- 59,394 crimes reported
- 15 minutes 57 seconds average response time
These figures demonstrate the important role that technology can play in strengthening the province's broader public safety response.
The Department will continue working with relevant law-enforcement, emergency-response and other government stakeholders to strengthen the integration of the e-Panic Button into the broader public safety ecosystem.
An invitation to the people of Gauteng
The Gauteng Provincial Government calls on residents who have not yet downloaded the Gauteng e-Panic Button to do so and familiarise themselves with how the platform works before an emergency occurs.
The platform is one component of government's broader efforts to build communities where residents can access assistance quickly and where technology is used to improve the quality, responsiveness and accessibility of public services.
For more information contact:
Sithembiso Ndlovu
Cell: 072 183 8922
Email: sithembiso.ndlovu@gauteng.gov.za
Neo Goba
Cell: 072 128 1951
Email: Neo.Goba@gauteng.gov.za
For media releases, speeches and news visit the Gauteng Provincial Government's portal at www.gauteng.gov.za.
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