Nonprofit organisation Corruption Watch has developed a new platform Veza to help improve transparency in policing in the country.
It will place the power back in the hands of the public to hold the South African Police Service accountable, the organisation states.
The interactive open data tool was developed by software engineering company Bluegrass Digital in response to allegations of police corruption and was inspired by engagements with communities experiencing police violence.
The Veza tool enables users to rate and review police stations based on personal experiences, to compare resources of up to four stations, to commend honest and ethical police officers and to report incidents of corruption and police misconduct that are immediately geolocated through the tool, says Corruption Watch stakeholder relations and campaigns head Kavisha Pillay.
Veza integrates with Google Maps, which allows it to use geolocation with various data sources to plot police corruption trends and hotspots, as well as information about all 1 150 police stations across the country, such as contact information, resources, budget and personnel.
"Veza, meaning ‘expose’ or ‘reveal’, is a first of its kind in South Africa and will improve transparency in policing in the country. The tool provides information at national, provincial and district level," she says.
"The launch of the Veza tool signifies a new era for Corruption Watch, as we explore how transparency, big data and accessible technology can be used to combat corruption and advance broader social justice issues."
"This innovative project has significant potential. Nothing like this exists on the African continent and, from our research, not many countries around the world have platforms for their citizens to access information like this," says Bluegrass Digital CEO Nick Durrant.
Public adoption will determine the power of this tool; the more it is used and information shared, the more involved the public will become in how communities are policed and protected around the country. Innovation is central to addressing systemic and pervasive corruption. Corruption Watch and Bluegrass Digital collaborated extensively during the development process, concludes Pillay.