The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has gazetted a notice calling for input by 4 December 2024 on proposals for phasing out emergency numbers 10111, 10177 and 107. This is with a view to making 112 ‘the exclusive national public emergency number’.
Published on 4 November, 2024, the notice was backdated to three days earlier – reducing the time available for comment.
According to the notice, the 2008 regulations on emergency numbers under the Electronic Communications Act, 2005, were informed by plans to establish nationwide ‘emergency 112 centres’. Although these plans never materialised, some electronic communication network service providers nevertheless already route their own emergency numbers through 112.
The directive envisaged would delink emergency number 112 from the establishment of a dedicated call centre.
Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch
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