Getting home safe in South Africa
The emergency numbers worth knowing, simple e-hailing checks, and how to make sure someone always knows where you are.
Most nights out end with everyone home and a few blurry photos. Planning for the nights that don't go that way takes about five minutes, and it's worth doing before you need it.
Know the numbers
South Africa has several emergency numbers, which is part of the problem. When something goes wrong, nobody wants to work out which one to dial. Here's the short version:
- 112: the one to remember. You can call it from any cellphone, it's free, and it works even if you have no airtime. You'll reach an automated call centre that routes you to the nearest emergency service. You do still need network signal.
- 10111: SAPS police emergency. Works from anywhere in the country. It's free from a landline, but from a cellphone it's charged at normal rates.
- 10177: ambulance and medical emergencies.
In November 2024 the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies gazetted a proposal to phase out separate numbers like 10111 and 10177 and route everything through 112. That was a proposal for public comment, not a change. For now, all three work. Save them in your phone today.
Check the car before you get in
E-hailing is how a lot of people get home. Uber's own South African safety guidance covers the basics:
- Match the details. Check that the licence plate, car colour, driver photo and name match what's in the app before you get in.
- Confirm names with the driver before you get in.
- Use the PIN if your app offers it, so you know you're in the right car.
- Share your trip with a friend so they can follow your route live.
None of this is complicated. The point is to do it every time, not just when something feels off.
Plan the way home when you plan the night
The easiest moment to sort out getting home is when you're making the plan, not at 1am:
- Agree on lifts up front. Who's driving, who's getting a ride, who's taking an e-hailing car.
- Put the time and place in the plan, so the people who aren't coming still know where you are.
- Have a check-in. A simple "home?" message from one person to the group at the end of the night goes a long way.
How Quorum helps
We built a few safety features into Quorum because plans should end with everyone home:
- SOS. Choose up to three friends as SOS contacts (they have to accept). If you hold the SOS button for ten seconds, their phones buzz with a long alert and open a map of your live location. They can tell you they're on their way, and your SOS screen has one-tap calls to 112 and 10111.
- Live location, off by default. If you turn it on, only the friends you choose can see where you are while Quorum is open. Turn it off and your location is deleted.
- Lifts on every plan, so getting there and back is sorted before you go.
Quorum SOS lets your friends know. It doesn't replace emergency services: if you're in danger, call 112 first. More on how it all works on our safety page.
Sources
- GroundUp (2017). South Africa's confusing emergency numbers.
- 1Life. Emergency numbers in South Africa.
- BusinessTech (5 November 2024). Goodbye 10111: government to cut down South Africa's emergency hotlines.
- Uber South Africa. How safe is it to drive with Uber?