Emmarentia Residents Association info@era.org.za (000) 111-1111

WOZA panic button App to be launched in March

ERA will be launching its panic button cell phone app in March 2019. Geraldine Connell, ERA’s security portfolio holder reports.

The final product has been worked on for almost a year and is called WOZA. This app was rated highest in our due diligence review of four apps. Recent exciting news is that Woza is backed up by Aura – a company that operates a growing, national network of PSIRA-registered Responders.

This means that anyone who subscribes to the app will be able to summons help in all major cities throughout South Africa, as well as in the streets/shops in Emmarentia and at the dam.

A few of the large security companies active in the area are linked to Aura and they will be on stand-by to assist when you simply shake your phone vigorously (or press the ‘AWAY’ panic button on the app). Automatically, a signal is transmitted to Aura’s call centre, which calls you back within seconds.

If the call goes unanswered, the Responder comes to your exact location based on your GPS co-ordinates. Aura will be adding paramedic responders to its integrated service offering soon.   

In addition, the Woza app will automatically call whoever you choose eg. an individual/security company/SAPS when you press the @HOME panic button. It will also send sms messages to cell numbers that you can specify, showing your exact location.

If you can’t speak on the phone, you simply trigger the @HOME panic button, and end the call. If your security company has agreed to receive your panic sms messages, they will know immediately that you may be in trouble and should respond. 

Look out for more Woza information on e-mail, whatsapp groups and from ERA representatives in March.

ERA has also implemented an affinity programme whereby 20% of your monthly subscription fee will be paid to community-based NPOs nominated by ERA. For the 2019/2020 year, these will be Let’s Work and EGCP – the Emmarentia/Greenside community patrollers. Find out more at the ERA AGM.