A controversy has emerged regarding Gauteng’s R269m e-Panic Button app, with the DA threatening to report an alleged mass data breach to the information regulator.
But while independent reports indicate an unsecured database exposed sensitive information and crime victim locations, the Gauteng department of e-government insists the security incident was thwarted, and no personal data was compromised.
An investigation by independent news agency GroundUp, which focuses on human rights, social justice and community-level reporting, revealed an unsecured database linked to the Gauteng government’s e-Panic Button app exposed sensitive citizen data, including crime reports, GPS coordinates, and personal contact information.
The technical partner has since secured the loophole, with the DA complaining that the provincial government has yet to notify people whose details have been shared.
But according to government news agency SANews.gov.za, “The matter was swiftly identified and addressed, and the department has established that no citizens’ personal information was compromised as a result of the incident.”
The e-government department acknowledged that an “attempted security breach involving the e-Panic Button environment” was detected, and explained that the incident involved a highly specialised organisation with advanced cybersecurity expertise and capabilities in vulnerability identification and security testing.
MEC for e-government Bonginkosi Dhlamini said: “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.”
The department is urging residents, particularly those living in townships and underserved areas, to download and use the smartphone application.
The downloadable platform is a public safety innovation designed to “connect residents to emergency assistance when every second matters”.
Information released by the department indicates that the platform has recorded: 288,307 active users; 114,414 emergency call-outs; 27,929 citizens assisted; 12,051 lives saved; 59,394 crimes reported, with the average response time being 15 minutes 57 seconds.
TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE TimesLIVE
www.timeslive.co.za
