POLOKWANE – An innovative leap in community safety was celebrated on Monday as stakeholders and municipal representatives gathered at the Atrium Boutique Hotel for the official launch of the Crime Emergency Application (CEA).

Developed by 29-year-old innovator Mapula Mailula from Ga-Maja outside Polokwane, the event brought together government leaders, residents and technology specialists in an united effort to strengthen the fight against crime through faster reporting and improved emergency response.

Read more: Ga-Maja woman develops emergency app to fight crime and GBV

Mailula said that the mobile application enables users to report incidents at the click of a button, ensuring quicker response times and direct communication with emergency services.

Reflecting on what inspired the project, she shared that she is a survivor of gender-based violence (GBV), and grew up in a community where police stations were located far from residents.

“When I was experiencing GBV, help was delayed when I needed it. I had to explain my location to the police, which took time. With this application, the emergency services receive your exact location instantly. My hope is that no one else goes through what I did,” she said.

Since its initial design in 2022, the system has been developed to connect users directly with the police, hospitals, fire departments, paramedics and other first responders.

It also integrates with camera systems at traffic lights, enabling automatic detection of suspicious or criminal activity and immediate alerts to the nearest police station.

In addition, the application warns users of high-crime and accident zones while travelling.

Representing provincial police commissioner Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, Col Baratang Maja expressed the SAPS’s full support, saying the innovation has the potential to reduce crime both locally and nationally.

“Features such as instant case-number access, live location tracking and direct reporting will allow us as the police to respond proactively,” she said.

While the app is already functional for crime reporting, Mailula confirmed that ER24 is currently the only fully integrated emergency service, with partnerships for additional services at an advanced stage. She added that the app will be available for download on the Play Store by the end of next week, and thanked her family and sponsors for helping turn her vision into reality.