Are you looking for information about offers, devices or your account?

Please choose your local Vodacom website

Africa

No thanks, I want to stay on Vodacom.com

Media releases

Vodacom Foundation

Vodacom uses mobile technology to help fight community crime

Thursday, 9 June 2011

Vodacom has partnered with The Khulisa's Youth out of School Ubuntu Club in Tembisa to help the community fight crime through a mobile technology project.  The telecommunications company has donated a computer and seven cellphones to the Club. These will be used by the young patrollers in the community to keep in touch and to report all crime incidents, as well as update the community on current events.

"The main objective of this campaign is to develop a healthy group identity amongst the youth and to involve them in the fight against crime," says Regi Botha, Area Manager Gauteng North, Khulisa Social Solutions.  "We believe that the sharing of experiences and actions will serve to build the spirit of Ubuntu and encourage proactive crime prevention."

The project will be based in the Phomolong area of Tembisa, which is notorious for high levels of criminal activity.

"Mobile technology is one of the best ways to fight crime as the messages are instantaneous and can reach many members of the community at once," says Mr Mthobi Tyamzashe, Vodacom Executive Director for CSI. "We are hoping that this donation will have a positive effect on the community of Phomolong by helping create safe and happier communities whilst encouraging members of the youth to participate in crime prevention."

Each cellphone donated has internet capabilities and has been loaded with airtime from Vodacom. The members of the Club will be allocated a cellphone that they will use to capture events, interview members of the community and create video clips. These will be uploaded to their Facebook page and website all in an effort to report on criminal activity in the community.

"Approximately 54% of the population of Tembisa is between the ages of 10 and 34 years old. With social media channels like Facebook being so popular among the youth, we are hoping that this crime fighting campaign will appeal to the young residents of in the area. The much needed technology donation from Vodacom will now make this campaign possible," concluded Botha.

The Khulisa's Youth out of School Ubuntu Club encourages the youth to come and join the club to participate in community crime fighting which will result in greater support for the  efforts of the police in crime reduction.

 



View previous press releases