Share

Tshwane launches city-wide crime safety app

Cape Town – After a months’ long incubation period, Project Namola is finally live in the City of Tshwane.

The safety application went live and demonstrated faster response times for Metro Police vehicles in the Monument Park pilot in February 2015.

“With Namola dispatch times take around 13 seconds - an 11 times improvement. All it takes is for a user to open the app, click the alert button and an officer to accept,” said Craig Rivett chief executive of implementing agent Happimo, a non-profit company.

The City of Tshwane decided to implement Namola across the metro following a successful pilot phase that reduced the average police response times of around two minutes.

Rivett told Fin24 that 135 Metro Police vehicles have been equipped with tablets that allow responders to react to calls for help.

Location-based response

Do you feel safer in Tshwane with the Namola application? Let us know

Unlike a traditional call centre where language can be a barrier to details in an emergency, Namola uses GPS co-ordinates to map locations in partnership with Tshwane Metro Police Department control room.

“When a citizen sends out an alert the nearby Tshwane Metro Police officers are able to see the exact location of the incident. The first available officer is then directed to the incident while being monitored by the control room, which has the ability to intervene if necessary,” said Rivett.

“For the first time operators are able to send images and messages, like a photo and description of a stolen vehicle or missing child, to the officers on the ground,” he added.

Namola is an evolution of the StellieSafe application piloted in Stellenbosch by former Mxit boss Alan Knott-Craig jnr and with the support of mayor Conrad Sidego.

Namola can be downloaded anywhere in SA, but it will only work in Tshwane. Only the Tshwane Metro Police have been integrated into the app thus far but there is nothing stopping other metros or Saps following Tshwane’s lead,” said Rivett.

Namola currently only operates on Android smartphones, but there are expansion plans for the application.

Watch this video on how Namola could help in the fight against crime:

- Follow Duncan on Twitter

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.88
+0.3%
Rand - Pound
23.85
+0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.37
+0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.31
+0.3%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.3%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders