Pair make a difference with app
TWO KwaZulu-Natal youngsters sold their flat to fund a new app to fight human trafficking, rape and murder in South Africa. A few weeks ago Langa Zulu and a friend Tshega Mampshika launched the Imbokodo app for smartphones, which offers a “virtual panic button” to reduce attacks. The app has been nominated for an award at next month’s KwaZulu-Natal Young Achievers awards in the information technology category. Zulu, who owns a hi-tech, digital media and production company, said the app was inspired by the #MenAreTrash campaign on social media following a reported spike in the cases of women abuse. “The #MenAreTrash movement can’t end with just hash tags. Marches are not the solution either,” the 28-year-old Zulu said. “Software and apps are a critical component in our lives today that we ought to use to solve our problems in our society to better the living conditions. “The application can be downloaded on android devices, laptops and desktops for free, and can be used as a panic button during abductions. “The Imbokodo app is a virtual panic button for women who may find themselves in emergencie, hence the location-tracking ability within the app. “The user puts two numbers of the people they trust on the app, and in the event of an emergency they would tap any part of the screen within the app to trigger emergency alerts. “The trustees then receive SMSes with GPS co-ordinates so they can track the woman under attack.” Zulu said. The messages are at no cost to the users. Zulu said he and the 23-yearold Mampshika were horrified by the spate of murders and rapes in South Africa. “After the #MenAreTrash trend, we reflected on how lightly we take the issue of abuse generally as men. We knew we had to step up to try to save our women.” The pair faced several challenges. “Funds and resources were the biggest challenge as a start-up company, with a few workers. We had to sacrifice our flat and office since we got obsessed with this initiative and focused all our energies on launching it.”
However, the feedback was extremely positive.
“A lot of people have sent messages thanking us for the initiative, and told us about how they use it even for other emergencies…”
It was an honour, said Zulu, to be nominated, “given our focus and passion for community development as individuals and as a company”.
“It was nominated because of its importance to make the lives of South Africans better,” he added.