Feeling unsafe? Here is how Gauteng's e-Panic button can help
Safety remains a major concern in Gauteng, with authorities urging residents to make use of the Gauteng e-Panic Button app, which can connect users to emergency response services when they need help.
Safety continues to be a priority in Gauteng, particularly as police investigate the deaths of nine women whose bodies have been discovered in different parts of Ekurhuleni since July.
Amid the ongoing investigation, the Gauteng government has once again urged residents to download and use the Gauteng e-Panic Button app, which was launched in 2024 as a free emergency response service.
The app is designed to give Gauteng residents access to emergency private armed-response and medical emergency service providers.
How does the Gauteng e-Panic Button work?
Residents can download the Gauteng e-Panic Button app from Google Play, the App Store or Huawei Store.
Once the app has been installed, users need to register using their cellphone number. An OTP will then be sent via SMS to verify the number.
You will then be asked to set up your profile by providing your name, surname, phone number and, optionally, your email address before accepting the terms and conditions.
You will be asked whether you would like the app to track your location. The app recommends selecting 'Always' to ensure that, whenever you need help, you can simply press the emergency button without having to enter your location.
The app uses location information to assist with emergency response. Users can then use the panic button when they need urgent assistance.
In 2026, Premier Panyaza Lesufi said more than 170,000 residents had registered on the app, with about 60,000 having used it to call for help.
"As part of ensuring faster responses to GBVF incidents and assistance, we advise that our residents should download the e-panic button app, which is freely available on the App Store of many mobile phones. To date, over 170 000 residents have registered on the e-panic button application, with about 60 000 having used it to call for help," he said.
Other ways to stay safe
While technology can provide another way of accessing help during an emergency, the South African Police Service also recommends taking basic precautions.
SAPS advises people to:
- Never walk around alone and don’t talk to strangers. Be on the lookout for strange cars or people.
- Walk in well-lit busy streets and in a group, if possible.
- Make sure your home is secure, and become a member of an armed response service. Be sure that you know all the emergency numbers or have them displayed in an accessible area.
- Always let someone know where you are going and how long you will be gone. But think twice before advertising your impending absence on social media. Criminals also have access to Facebook and Twitter.
- Know all emergency numbers.
- Trust your instinct.
- Avoid going onto a congested street where you cannot even walk properly, that is where you will find criminals pick pocketing.
- Avoid displaying valuables where criminals can see them.
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