New ‘Uber Of Emergencies’ Goes Live Nationally
Many South Africans are victims of crime on a daily basis. On many occasions, the authorities take too long to arrive, making the effects even worse.
According to the latest Crime Stats report, there was a total of over 2.1 million serious crimes reported for 2017. This has increased by 0.12% from last year.
Namola is the latest emergency tool to assist citizens with crime at the click of a button. Here’s how the app could save your life.
The History Of Namola
On November 9, Namola was officially launched nationwide. This was after months of trials in only the City of Tshwane and Gauteng regions.
Local insurance company, Dial Direct has partnered with the Namola app in order to create an app that fights crime. Not only this, but the app also aims to tackle inefficiencies in the emergency services as well as alleviate pressure from the 10111 call centre.
According to Dial Direct’s Executive Head, Warwick Scott-Rodger, Namola could be the answer to many of South Africa’s crimes. “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 greatly.”
South African Police Minister, Fikile Mbalula showed excitement for the launch of the new app.
“We continue to emphasise that crime fighting requires civil society to work together with police. Modern technology empowers our people to protect themselves and access information and help.”
How Does It Work?
Once the app has been downloaded, all the user needs to do is press the ‘Request Assistance’ button. This button acts as a panic button for victims or witnesses of crime.
The app uses the user’s exact GPS coordinates to track down the victims and dispatch the relevant authorities. Once the Namola team have received your coordinates, a call centre will call you. They will request your name and the nature of the emergency.
If you are unable to speak, there is a built in SMS function that will allow users to speak to the call centre during the dispatch process.
Scott-Rodger explains that Namola aims to tackle crimes with efficiency and effectiveness.
“With future plans of highlighting crime hotspots and sharing proactive safety tips and information from community members, Namola is more than an app. It’s a platform for South Africans to come together. For Dialdirect, it’s just another way we’re using technology to make life easier, better and safer,” explains Scott-Rodger.
A Step In The Right Direction
According to the Stats SA Victims Of Crime Survey 2017, 1.5 million households experienced criminal incidents between 2016/2017.
Since the release of the app nationwide, there have been over 100 000 downloads. Namola’s CEO, Peter Matthaei, Namola is aiming to help South Africans and protect them during times of danger.
“We would like to thank every person and institution who has downloaded the App. Together we have taken a proactive approach to fighting crime. Your interest in protecting your families and communities is what motivates us to keep on going.”
The team has also added the ‘Namola Watch’ feature to the app. This feature alerts Community Policing Forums, as well as Neighbourhood Watch groups of any incidents in their area. This will ensure a faster response time.
Want to find out more? Take a look at this video…
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