Warren Myers, CEO, AURA, one of South Africas leading security and medical response platforms, has reflected on the security environment in South Africa, why safety should be viewed as a right instead of a privilege, and the company’s successful partnership with Uber since 2018
The issue of safety applies in much the same way as creativity and human flourishing disappears if people are living in a perpetual state of fear and anxiety.
Clearly more needs to be done to ensure that people are safe, and feel safe, from the scourge of crime. If this doesn't happen, a downward spiral is inevitable; the consequences of which are enormous and impact every single corner of society.
Crime stats are wholly unacceptable and have been for some time now. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating social and economic impact, there has been a marked increase in both professional syndicate crimes, and opportunistic crimes of desperation.
It is staggering that only 2% of South Africans have access to private security and 7,000 private response vehicles only service 2% of the population. Clearly there is an obvious inequality here that requires serious attention. What is less obvious at first glance, is that security companies, and by extension their clients, are paying for these resources to be deployed 100% of the time when they are only needed and utilised less than 10% of the time.
Uber has always been committed to improving and introducing new and relevant technologies through their app. Response times for safety related matters was a major challenge, which led to Uber seeking out private location-specific emergency and medical service partners that could be dispatched to partners quicker than ever before, which is where the partnership with AURA developed.
The AURA platform addresses issues of access and affordability using IoT and AI to ensure that not only are resources being used as efficiently as possible, but that everyone, irrespective of income or social status, can feel safe and secure thanks to having on-demand emergency services at their fingertips. This is why AURA has grown to become a necessary part of the wider safety and security ecosystem.
Universal accessibility, affordability and a deep commitment to the safety of everyone who uses the AURA platform is why we are especially proud of our partnership with Uber. A shared vision and dedication to continuously improving the safety of everyone who uses our services is why Uber added an in-app emergency button, powered by AURA, to both the rider and driver Uber apps.
AURA aims to allow people to access private security and medical response. Technology is a powerful tool not only to unlock access to affordable mobility but in crime prevention by empowering everyone with the means to get assistance in the event of an emergency or in a situation where they feel threatened or unsafe.
