The Cape Navigator

In a startling revelation, it has been reported that the South African Police Service’s emergency number, 10111, has been non-functional in the Cape Town area for several days, leaving residents unable to report emergencies using the dedicated 10111 service. This concerning information was brought to light by prominent journalist Yusuf Abramjee in a social media post on X.

Abramjee expressed his dismay in the post, saying, “The Police’s 10111 number in the Cape Town area has not been working for days. People say they can’t report emergencies. This is serious! When will the South African Police Service get their act together?”

Adding to the urgency, Sisca van Blerk of the Plumstead People group on Facebook corroborated the information, stating that Smile FM had also reported the 10111 hotline being down for 4 consecutive days. This outage raises questions about the efficiency and preparedness of the South African Police Service, leaving citizens frustrated and concerned about their safety.

In a bid to provide a solution to the problem, Lee Mark, a member of the Table View – Anything Goes Facebook group, shared a helpful tip for residents. Mark suggested an alternative emergency number, urging individuals to dial 112 from their mobile phones and then press 1 to request a connection to the nearest police station. This workaround may serve as a temporary relief for those grappling with the unavailability of the official emergency hotline.

The Cape Navigator took immediate action, reaching out to multiple spokespersons for the SAPS Western Cape and Cape Town. Regrettably, no response was received by the time of publication, leaving the community in the dark regarding the cause and expected duration of the outage.

UPDATE: Alternative number to contact the SAPS in Cape Town: 021 4678006

The malfunction of the 10111 emergency line raises serious concerns about the reliability of essential services and the need for immediate attention and rectification by the South African Police Service.

The Cape Navigator will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as more information becomes available.