Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi’s plan to combat crime using the e-button is an expensive exercise, according to Funzi Ngobeni, new ActionSA leader in the province.
The e-button is an emergency button that residents across the province will utilise in the fight against crime.
Ngobeni said the e-button will not reduce rising levels of crime, labelling the plan as “ripe for corruption”.
He further noted that his organisation is concerned that the premier is forging ahead with the plan to provide the e-button to more than 16-million residents while the police are already failing to respond to emergency calls on time.
“Premier Lesufi announced on Wednesday that a tender has been issued to provide e-button services for the communities in the province to fight gender-based violence and prevent crime,” said Ngobeni.
ActionSA is concerned that the e-buttons will do little to nothing to fight crime, while creating an opportunity for connected politicians to benefit from the tender.
“Police Minister Bheki Cele has admitted that the South African Police Service has dropped about 7-million emergency calls with 10111 call centres only staffed at 40%.
“If premier Lesufi was serious about crime-fighting, he would not be spending money on an expensive e-button project, but would be working with the SAPS to improve their response rate to current emergency calls.
“Additional police and security personnel also need to be deployed to most-affected communities.”
He added that his party will keep Lesufi on his toes through accountability, to ensure that state’s money is not wasted while the safety of communities is compromised.
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