SPRINGS, EAST RAND — As the Ekurhuleni community reels from the tragic discovery of a ninth woman’s body and the formal identification of 38-year-old Dineo Motapane, the demand for actionable women’s safety tips in South Africa has reached a critical peak. In response to growing national fear, risk consultant Gert Kriel is urging women to leverage technology and proactive emergency strategies, highlighting how tools like the Guard Me safety app can bypass traditional communication delays and dispatch armed response within minutes.
Police confirmed on Wednesday that the eighth victim, 38-year-old Dineo Motapane, was last seen alive on Sunday before her body was discovered in KwaThema, Springs, on the East Rand. Her family positively identified her remains at the Springs Mortuary on Wednesday afternoon. This heartbreaking confirmation comes as the broader Ekurhuleni area continues to grapple with the discovery of a ninth victim, intensifying widespread fear and anxiety among women across the country.
Addressing these heightened security concerns, risk consultant Gert Kriel, the creator of the Guard Me safety app, emphasized the life-saving potential of immediate emergency response technology. Kriel shared that the inspiration for the application stemmed from a deeply personal trauma prior to 2020, when his son was nearly killed in Johor Bahru. Unable to reach anyone by phone to assist his son during the ordeal, Kriel resolved to create a system that would never leave his family—or anyone else—vulnerable to such dangerous delays.
According to Kriel, the Guard Me app was explicitly designed to eliminate the time wasted in traditional call center routing. When a user presses the alert button, an open system immediately broadcasts a distress signal to the receivers in the vehicles of all partnered private armed response companies. The first security vehicle to reach the location provides assistance. Kriel noted that this streamlined process has successfully saved hundreds of lives, with response times often clocking in at just one to two minutes.
Offering practical women’s safety tips, Kriel stressed the importance of activating emergency tools at the first sign of danger, rather than waiting until an attack is imminent. He advised that if a person notices someone acting suspiciously or approaching with ill intent, they should immediately open their phone screen, launch the app, and press the alert button, which features a distinct whistle icon. Kriel assured users that there are no additional penalties or charges for false reports, and the mere sight of an approaching response vehicle is often enough to deter a potential attacker.
The Guard Me app is accessible via the Apple App Store for iPhone users. Additionally, it is integrated into the FNB eBucks platform, making it available for a subscription fee of approximately R20 per month—described by Kriel as the price of a cup of coffee. Users are encouraged to test the app upon installation, as the dedicated call center will verify the system is functioning correctly.
While other safety applications such as Namola, SecurMySOS, MyGuard, and Tracker Care Guard also operate in the market to provide armed response and tracking, Kriel’s core message remains consistent: early activation of any reliable emergency alert system is paramount to survival.
As communities continue to mourn and demand systemic change, experts maintain that empowering individuals with immediate, technology-driven safety nets is a crucial step in protecting vulnerable populations while broader societal solutions are pursued.
