Namola application adds Covid-19, GBV support during lockdown

Emergency response application Namola has upped its range of tools to include 24-hour Covid-19 support. 

Users can now see the latest case statistics and news updates, access helplines and receive virus alerts. 

Helplines such as the domestic abuse hotline, childline and a mental health hotline are now accessible through the application, prompted by the 21-day lockdown’s potential impact on increased cases of domestic violence, as well as mental health deterioration. 

Namola CEO Peter Matthaei said: “We are concerned that domestic violence may increase over the 21-day lockdown, and that loneliness and feelings of uncertainty may impact many people’s mental health. We encourage our fellow South Africans to access important services such as the domestic abuse hotline, childline and a mental health hotline through the Namola app if they need additional support.”

Matthaei added that Namola’s response centre team also continued to be available 24 hours a day, and that users would continue to have free access to public emergency services during lockdown. 

Namola has also discounted its optional Namola Plus upgrade, which allows users to access private armed response and emergency medicals through the app. 

“We want to ensure that all South Africans stay safe while South Africa is in a state of disaster, especially if they don’t yet have access to private security,” said Matthaei.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Sunday that although crime statistics are down, over 2,300 calls of gender-based violence incidents have been received from the start of lockdown until 31 March. 

Approximately 148 suspects have been charged with inflicting gender-based violence during this time, and from January until the end of March, 15,934 gender-based violence complaints had been received by police. 

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