112 by Q4 2009?

By Leon Engelbrecht, ITWeb senior writer

Johannesburg, 19 Mar 2008

South Africans will be able to dial "112" for all emergency calls anywhere in the country by the end of next year, says the Department of Communications (DOC).

The department is setting up two Public Emergency Contact Centres (PECCs) for that purpose.

There are currently more than 350 emergency centres handling calls and dispatching for the country's various police, ambulance and fire-fighting services.

"The result is that South Africans have to know the telephone numbers of every emergency service provider in the country in the event of a specific emergency," says DOC spokesman Albi Modise. "The new 112 emergency service will integrate all the services on one number, thereby allowing for a single entry in emergency situations, irrespective of the nature of the emergency.

"The number is also easy to dial for people with disabilities, as the numbers 1-1-2 are close to each other."

Tender process

The PECCs will be run as a public private partnership (PPP) and the DOC intends to appoint a private partner for the financing, design, management, maintenance and operating of the centres on behalf of the government.

"The tender process, which is regulated in terms of the requirements of National Treasury, is on track and the department hopes to appoint the successful bidder in the third quarter of this year," adds Modise.

"At present, the department is finalising the first phase of the PPP tender process - which is a request for qualifications - which closed on 29 February. This process allows companies bidding to be part of the PPP to indicate their understanding of a 112 centre, as well as their understanding of how best to ensure the centre succeeds in delivering an efficient service to South Africans.

"Based on their experience, understanding of what needs to be done, their empowerment credentials and equity structure, short-listed companies will move to the request for proposal (RFP) phase," Modise adds.

"The RFP phase will seek to identify the technical specifications, hardware and software to be used. The DOC will be interfacing with the various operators (mobile and fixed), police and emergency medical services on the technical specifications and inputs into the process."

The result will be that 112 PECC agents will be able to direct calls to the relevant emergency services - irrespective of where they are in the country.

He cautions, however, that private emergency centres are not part of the 112 PECC programme "as they offer revenue-based emergency services".