Johannesburg - An Uber-like South African safety and security app - Namola - has gone national.
Namola is a free crime response app that allows users to share their GPS co-ordinates, name and nature of the emergency with a 24/7 response call centre.
For genuine alerts, police, other emergency response teams and citizen responders are then dispatched and monitored.
According to Yusuf Abramjee, crime activist and Namola chief ambassador, the app was initially launched as an "Uber for police" in the City of Tshwane and later the whole of Gauteng from 2015.
“It was introduced to give victims of crime access to a new innovative way of contacting the police and now has over 80 000 registered users,” he said.
Namola improves efficiency and alleviates pressures placed on 10111 centres by pre-screening alerts.
It also pinpoints the user's exact location, making it easy for emergency services to find them.
According to Warwick Scott-Rodger, Executive Head of Dialdirect Insurance, a supporting company of the app, Namola is a smart complement to 10111.
“Your call will always be answered and the information will be passed on to the nearest police station. Namola doesn’t guarantee that the police will be on time, but it improves your chances to get help a great deal," he said.
Namola is available at no cost.
Users wanting to turn their phone into a panic button, can search for Namola in the Apple App Store or Google Play, or visit Namola.com.