• Amid incidents of violence and gangsterism at schools in Gauteng, the provincial government allowed 3 000 teachers early access to the Gauteng ePanic button app.
• The app was launched to the public last year and allows quick access to law enforcement and medical help.
• Additionally, almost 1 000 patrollers tasked to keep high risk schools safe received access to the ePanic button app.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature has revealed that it had to activate ePanic buttons for 3 000 teachers working at the province’s most at-risk schools in order to protect teachers from violent learners, gangsterism and crime occuring around school premises.

Concerns are mounting of violence at these schools, including those named by the report such as Eldorado Park Secondary, Nellmapius Secondary School, and Orange Farm Secondary, among others, not only between learners but also affecting teachers and school staff.

“There was a lot of violence at [Eldorado Park Secondary] affecting learners and educators. A learner was stabbed while the joint Committee was conducting an oversight visit at the school,” says the joint Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Education in a report.

“There were several weapons confiscated by teachers from learners such as knifes, scissors and other harmful items.”

A video went viral in May 2024 showing a physical altercation between a teacher and a number of pupils at the Glenvista High School in Southern Johannesburg, further spurring concerns.

According to the report assessing the “Effectiveness of School Safety Interventions in Fighting Crime in Schools in Gauteng,” published in December 2024, a total of 245 schools in the province are considered “high risk” with 75 of those schools prioritised for risk intervention strategies.

These interventions, as of March 2023, include the deployment of security guards to provide “day-and-night professional guarding,” distributing hand-held metal detectors at schools to search for dangerous weapons and activating ePanic buttons for 3 000 staff members at the 75 priority schools.

Interventions also include installing CCTV cameras at 40 schools connected to the Gauteng Command Centre, the re-establishment and training of school safety committees and having “amaPanyaza” safety wardens patrol around problem schools.

“Furthermore, a total of 995 Push to Talk gadgets with e-panic buttons were distributed to school patrollers, increased back up for patrollers at schools and rapid response from Law Enforcement Agencies and increased visibility of LEAs in schools and surrounding areas,” reads the report.

It is believed that the use of ePanic buttons for teachers and patrollers “would also enable speedy response to schools by [law enforcement agencies].”

The distribution of the Gauteng ePanic button technology, which is available through an app to teachers, school staff and patrollers around high risk schools comes amid reports of incidents of violence between teachers and learners.

Gauteng’s “Crime Prevention Panic Button” app was finally launched to the general public in July last year and allows the reporting of crimes, calling an ambulance for medical emergencies and allows for authorities or private security to respond to the pressing of the panic button.

The provincial government allowed teachers and staff of the school to use the ePanic button app about a year earlier than the general launch, likely due to the pressing matters of violence, substance abuse and other criminal activity taking place at high risk schools.