With crime on the increase and communities not knowing how to keep themselves safe, a local non-profit company has embarked on an innovative approach through the power and protection of technology. On the 28th November 2018, the Partnership for a Digital Africa (P4DA) hosted a Safety and Security Project Launch at the I-CAN Centre in Elsies River.

Aizatron, through its social development fund decided to sponsor the event both financially as well as provide access to Aizatron’s technical expertise, technology IP and high tech equipment to exposure the community to industry 4.0 technology so that they can become  active participants in finding solutions to address deep social problems in our communities.  

This event was hosted after numerous discussions with various stakeholders across society. It was collectively decided to focus on community safety and security as one of the most pressing problems that hinder the social and economic development of all communities. Poorer communities are severely affected as they do not have the resources and technology of the private security industry that middle class communities have. Recently there have been many child abductions and this has created panic across the country as all communities have been affected. Communities and individuals are all frustrated with crime and lack of safety and security at home and in public places

Let us work together to create solutions that will make our communities a safer place for our children and our citizens. By leveraging our collective strengths and capabilities, we can defeat the scourge of crime and create safer, more secure communities.

A core theme of the Smart Community Safety and Security Project is to leverage the power of connected digital technologies in a practical manner with solutions that can be deployed relatively quickly (within a few months). The idea is that, as South Africans, we need to move beyond talking and move to action. Therefore, at the event, P4DA launched the following prototypes:

• A personal panic button aimed at encouraging community members to help one another. The idea behind this is that when a person feels at  risk, they press the button and help is at hand.  
• Initiatives related to the use of lower cost CCTV cameras to be used for things like ANPR (automatic license plate recognition), facial recognition, people counting, etc. 
• Public transport box, which allows the tracking of the location, speed, etc. of public transport vehicles, in addition to the number of people on board.
• A low cost home computer that will give households access to computing capabilities, educational content, entertainment, etc. In addition, this solution will allow for various smart technologies to be integrated and remotely monitored including a home alarm, fire detection, water and electricity monitoring, CCTV cameras, etc. In addition, this device can be integrated into the broader safety and security initiatives in the particular community e.g. CPF, neighbourhood watch, etc.

The event was attended by community and academic representatives, government officials and private sector, both large enterprises and small businesses. We plan to develop action steps and establish a strong working forum to design, build, implement and manage key projects to make a difference in communities

The P4DA calls on all interested parties to connect with us to find out more about how you can be involved.

We can discuss challenges, or we can do something about it.

We choose to do something about it. We invite all interested parties to join us on this journey. We invite those who want to make a difference and not just to talk. People who are involved need to contribute - whether it is financial, skills and expertise, equipment, commitment to test the solutions, unlock opportunities etc. There are many ways to contribute, so please contact us and let’s make positive change happen together!

Website: www.digital4africa.org

Email: [email protected]

FaceBook: Partnership for a Digital Africa