Aura, the emergency response provider behind Namola, Samsung SOS, MiWay MyGuard, Sayf for Tracker, and FNB GuardMe, has not supported the Gauteng e-Panic button app for more than a year.
Aura, the security network operator behind Namola, Samsung SOS, MiWay MyGuard, Sayf for Tracker and FNB GuardMe, is no longer supporting the Gauteng e-Panic button platform.
An Aura spokesperson confirmed to MyBroadband that they were no longer involved in operations and had stopped supporting the Gauteng Provincial Government app altogether.
“Aura provided the backend infrastructure for this initiative when it first launched; however, it has not been involved in the programme for over a year,” they said.
“We are unable to disclose financial information and do not have any insights as to how the scheme is proceeding with the current contractor.”
Aura provides a digital platform that connects mobile safety applications and panic buttons to a nationwide network of private security and emergency medical services (EMS) responders.
The company’s automated platform receives panic button calls, which are answered by staff at a call centre, who then direct an appropriate response, whether security or EMS.
This system is what made Namola as popular as it is in South Africa. The app, which has over 700,000 downloads and is now owned by Community Wolf, continues to be supported by Aura’s backend system.
However, Namola requires customers to pay a monthly fee to access its best services. The Gauteng e-panic button app provided free access to Gauteng residents.
The Gauteng Department of e-Government, the custodians of the e-panic button app, said that Evolve VAS was now operating the platform’s backend and call centre in place of Aura.
Evolve was the primary tender winner, and it had appointed Aura as a third-party platform to run the panic button’s backend. However, at some point last year, this agreement fell through.
Evolve Value Added Services (VAS) is a provider of benefits in the value-added services industry. Based on the company’s website, it is a systems integrator.
“We have created innovative Health and Wellness Lifestyle solutions for the Medical insurance, Telecom, Retail and Financial Services industry,” the company said on its website.
“Over the years, we have created benefit programmes that helped customers save money on daily items. We have the winning formula that solves customer acquisition and retention.”
On its website, Evolve VAS lists emergency panic services as a product line, alongside roadside assistance, lifestyle benefits, and medical advice on call.
MyBroadband contacted Evolve for comment, but the company did not respond by the time of publication.
The Gauteng e-Panic button app on Android
In August, the Department of e-Government revealed that the uptake of the Gauteng e-Panic button app had slowed considerably over the last year.
Only around 15,000 new downloads were recorded in the last 10 months of the app’s operations, a far cry from the 100,000 downloads it recorded between June 2024 and March 2025.
As of August 2026, the app has been downloaded 180,000 times, which means only a very small proportion of Gauteng’s estimated 16.1 million people had the app on their mobile devices.
In response to sluggish growth, the department said it was looking beyond increasing downloads and was working to strengthen awareness of the app.
“Particularly among communities that may not be aware that they can access an emergency response service at no cost,” it said.
“This includes taking the message to communities through public awareness campaigns, government programmes and engagements such as Imbizo initiatives.”
It was also planning to implement improvements to the service to remain relevant in the current security app environment in South Africa.
“The department’s focus is ultimately on ensuring that more residents have access to reliable emergency assistance,” e-Government said.
“We recognise that there is still significant room for growth, particularly by reaching residents who currently rely exclusively on private panic-button services.”
When MyBroadband tested the e-Panic button app in August 2024, we were impressed with its user experience, quick response times and overall performance.
In particular, we found that the app was frugal with battery and data usage. Over a full day of it running in the background, it used only 1.4% of our smartphone’s battery.
Over two days of usage, the app consumed about 8.5MB. Most of this data was used while the app was open.
More recent reviews have been less than glowing. “Tried to use the app in a real-world emergency, and it didn’t work. Zero response,” said one reviewer of the iOS version.
“I heard about this great app for assistance in an emergency, I was so excited so I downloaded it immediately but to my disappointment it keeps on freezing,” said a reviewer on Android.
“It kicks me out of the app, and if you don’t have data or airtime, this app is not available. That is sad because in times of distress, you can’t go to a shop to buy data or airtime or wait for an app to unfreeze.”
However, the majority of reviews on the app are positive, with it maintaining 4.2 stars on the Google Play Store and 4 stars on the Apple App Store.
