10111 Emergency Hotline Still Operational After 20 Years

Nearly 20 years after its launch in 2007, South Africa's 10111 emergency call centre number is still operational and costing the SA Police Service (Saps) millions of rands every year.

The hotline was established to bridge the gap between victims of crime and the police, ensuring a fast and efficient response from law enforcement and emergency services. However, over the years, people have complained that it's not delivering results, leading to dissatisfaction and communities taking matters into their own hands.

Acting minister of police Firoz Cachalia said that no separate budget is allocated specifically for the Cisco telephony system used at 10111 Centres. The cost of maintaining these systems is embedded within the overall Saps Unified Communications expenditure, with R18 million spent on GEMC3 and MDS systems in the past five financial years.

Cachalia acknowledged that audits have revealed part of the system has reached its official End-of-Life and End-of-Support status. He also mentioned a shortage of call centre agents, which has limited the hotline's success. The minister stated that Saps is currently assessing staffing requirements and plans to establish a modern communication solution to replace the obsolete infrastructure.