Story audio is generated using AI
The Gauteng government has reassured residents after news of an attempted security breach of its e-panic button system, confirming that no personal information was compromised.
Despite the attempted breach, the provincial government is encouraging residents to continue downloading and using the e-panic button, saying the platform had already played a critical role in saving over 12,000 lives across the province.
The e-panic button app is designed to connect users with emergency assistance at the touch of a button — particularly serving those in townships and vulnerable communities. The system has seen widespread adoption, with over 288,000 active users and more than 114,000 emergency call-outs to date.
Bonginkosi Dhlamini, MEC for e-government, research and development, emphasised that the department’s technical teams responded rapidly to the identified vulnerability, implementing corrective measures and commissioning further testing to ensure continued system resilience.
“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 Dhlamini.
According to the department of e-government, 27,929 citizens had been assisted and 12,051 lives saved
On Monday the DA said it would report the Gauteng government’s e-panic button data breach to the information regulator and called for an investigation into the alleged exposure of sensitive information belonging to residents who used the app to report crimes.
Michael Waters, DA Gauteng spokesperson for e-government, said the party wanted the regulator to investigate whether the breach amounted to a violation of the Protection of Personal Information Act, as well as how the information was exposed and how the Gauteng department of e-government responded.
The e-government department said that since the attempted data breach, it had requested additional testing and verification of the system.
“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 Dhlamini.
According to the provincial government, the application (e-panic button) allowed residents to request emergency assistance during criminal incidents, medical emergencies, gender-based violence, fires and other life-threatening situations.
The provincial government said the technology provided an additional way for people to access help when conventional emergency services may be difficult to reach.
“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.”
— Bonginkosi Dhlamini, MEC for e-government, research and development
For residents who may find themselves facing danger, the province says the e-panic button is intended to put another emergency response option directly in their hands.
The platform has recorded 288,307 active users and 114,414 emergency call-outs to date.
According to the department of e-government, 27,929 citizens had been assisted and 12,051 lives saved. The platform has also been used to report 59,394 crimes, with an average response time of 15 minutes and 57 seconds.
Dhlamini said the success of the platform depended on residents trusting it with their personal information.
“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.”
The department said it would continue working with law enforcement, emergency response and other government stakeholders to strengthen the e-panic button’s role in the province’s wider public safety system.
Residents who have not yet downloaded the application are being encouraged to do so and familiarise themselves with how it works before an emergency happens.
TimesLIVE
Gugulethu Mashinini
www.timeslive.co.za
