Following a DA motion to the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee requesting that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality explore the implementation of a WhatsApp emergency line in the Metro, a report now confirms it will be implemented.
This report was added to the agenda for the upcoming Safety and Security Portfolio Committee meeting of 23 October 2025.
We submitted our motion to the Speaker of Council on 8 October 2025, which highlighted how WhatsApp technology is a step forward in modernising and improving municipal emergency response services and could save lives and protect our infrastructure across the Metro.
Currently, residents can only report emergencies by making a voice call to the municipality’s central emergency number (041 585 1555). This number connects to Fire Services, Traffic Services, Metro Police, Metro Security and Disaster Management. However, this method relies on the caller having available airtime or access to a functioning landline.
This limitation excludes many residents, particularly in low-income communities who often do not have available airtime to make a phone call.
The WhatsApp platform we proposed offers the following key benefits:
- Text-based emergency reports without requiring airtime.
- The ability to share real-time location pins, ensuring quick and accurate response times.
- An option to send images or videos of incidents, providing authorities with immediate context.
The WhatsApp line will allow residents to report emergencies more easily, especially in situations where voice communication is not possible or practical. It also enables faster identification of exact locations, which is often a challenge during emergencies in unfamiliar or unmarked areas.
For instance, residents will soon be able to report a drunk driver by simply taking a photo or short video, including the registration number, and sending it with a pin location to the WhatsApp line – or better yet, a live location if you happen to drive behind the person.
The DA remains committed to innovative, modern and people-centred solutions that bring real change to communities.
We will keep fighting for the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay to live in a safe and secure environment.
It is time for a DA government. It is time to get Nelson Mandela Bay working again.