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Built in South Africa, for South Africans
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Clearer local information for safer communities
HOLESA is a free community-safety platform that helps South Africans find clearer local information about incidents, scams and community problems, in every province.
The HOLESA app is still in development. Email info@holesa.co.za to hear when it launches.
See how it worksRegister / list your business free🚧 Report a problem
Join HOLESA free in 1 minute
No ID number needed. POPIA-compliant. Choose how you want to join:
Freefor the public, always
Human-reviewedreports, clearly labelled
Nationalfor all 9 provinces
What HOLESA is about
Local safety information is scattered across WhatsApp groups, social media and word of mouth. HOLESA brings it together in one clear, organised place, free for the public.
Your neighbours already know what is happening.
The break-in down the road, the new WhatsApp scam, the pothole that keeps damaging tyres. HOLESA turns those scattered warnings into one clear picture of your area, so you can look out for your family and your community.
Incidents
See what residents are reporting in your area, organised by place and time.
Scams
Learn about scams doing the rounds locally before they reach you or your family.
Community problems
Potholes, broken lights and other issues that affect daily safety, documented in one place.
Free public access
Viewing local information on HOLESA is free. Safety information should not sit behind a paywall.
What a HOLESA report looks like
Sample reports (illustrative only). Real reports will show their status clearly.
Pothole · Verified
Large pothole on a main road off-ramp
Reported 3 days ago · 12 neighbours confirmed
Scam alert · Under review
Fake "municipal account" SMS asking for payment
Reported today · 5 similar reports
Community report · Unverified
Streetlights out along a busy walking route
Reported 1 day ago · Awaiting review
Coming soon
New: what you can report
These features are being built in the HOLESA app. This page explains how they will work.
On top of crime, scams, potholes, water and power, HOLESA will cover these categories. Each has its own colour on the map.
🌾Farm safety
Farm attacks, stock theft, fence or gate breaches
10111 · 112 · 10177🦏Game farms
Poaching, escaped animals, illegal hunting
10111 · 112 · 10177🔎Missing people and pets
Always checked by a person before it is shown
10111 · 112 · 10177🗑️Illegal dumping and refuse
Dumping, uncollected refuse
Not an emergency?🚱Sewage and burst pipes
Sewage spills, burst water pipes
10111 · 112 · 10177🔌Cable and infrastructure theft
Cable, manhole cover and transformer theft
10111 · 112 · 10177🔥Fires, incl. veld fires
Veld, house and vehicle fires
10111 · 112 · 10177🚦Road safety
Broken traffic lights, dangerous intersections, accidents
10111 · 112 · 10177💡Load-shedding and outages
Two neighbours confirm when it's back: “Restored”
Not an emergency?✅Fixed! and Thank you
Good news, shown in green for 30 days
🚨 In an emergency, call first: SAPS 10111 · 112 · 10177
HOLESA is not an emergency service.
HOLESA is not an emergency service.
Coming soon
How the new features work
- 🔎 Missing people and pets: Every report is checked by a person first and is never published automatically. Once approved, it shows a description, a photo and the last-seen area, so the community can help. The reporter's contact details stay hidden; responses go through HOLESA.
- 💡 Power or water back on: Neighbours press “It's back”. Once 2 different neighbours confirm it, the post shows “Restored (confirmed by neighbours)”. Each person can confirm once.
- ✅ Fixed! and Thank you: Share good news and thank a municipality or business. These posts show in green and stay visible for 30 days. They are screened like every other report: no links and no advertising.
- 🛡️ Patrol sign-ups are checked: Every neighbourhood watch, patrol or security company is checked and approved by a HOLESA admin before it receives any alerts.
Coming soon
🌾 Farm and game farm safety
Built for rural South Africa, where there is often no street address.
- 📍 Choose a farm area: province, then district, then (optional) municipality. Or drop a pin.
- 🔒 No farm names: we never ask for the farm name, so victims cannot be identified.
- 🗺️ About 10 km accuracy: farm reports show publicly only to about 10 km, never the exact spot.
- 🚨 Fast alerts for fires and farm attacks: approved neighbourhood watches and security companies in the area are warned straight away, marked “Unverified – under review”.
🚨 In an emergency, call first: SAPS 10111 · 112 · 10177
HOLESA is not an emergency service.
HOLESA is not an emergency service.
Coming soon
Neighbourhood watches and security companies
Sign up to receive HOLESA alerts for your area. Alerts start only after we have checked your registration (CPF, PSIRA or similar).
Alerts show the category, general area, a rounded map point and the time. Never the reporter's name, contact details or report text.
🚧 Sign-ups open soon. Approved watches and security companies will be able to register here once alerts are live in the HOLESA app.
Become a founding member
The app is still being built. Register now and help shape it.
- ✓ Early access before public launch
- ✓ Help choose the first towns and features
- ✓ Founding member badge in the app
- ✓ Free, always
How it works
Simple for residents, with human review and clear sourcing behind the scenes.
See it. Snap it. Report it.
Take a photo, add the location and a few details. Every report is checked by a person and labelled with its status, so the community gets information it can rely on.
1
Report
A resident reports an incident, scam or problem with the location and details.
2
Review
Reports are checked by people and clearly labelled by status, so you know what has and has not been verified.
3
Share
The community sees clear, sourced local information on a map and in feeds.
4
Act
Residents, neighbourhood watches and local businesses can respond with better information.
Important: Community reports on HOLESA are submitted by residents. They are not official crime statistics and do not replace reporting to SAPS. In an emergency, call 10111 or 112 from a cellphone.
About HOLESA: every feature explained
A short, plain guide to everything you can do on HOLESA.
Local Hub business directory
Registered businesses appear in a free directory by town and category, so residents can find a plumber, electrician, locksmith or security company nearby. Sponsorship never buys a better position or hides reports.
Community reports coming soon
Report a pothole, water leak, power outage, crime or scam with the town, location, time and an optional photo. Photos are stripped of hidden location data before they are stored.
"I see it too" coming soon
Seen the same problem? Tap "I see it too" instead of reporting it again. The more neighbours confirm a report, the higher it rises and the faster it is passed on.
Report status coming soon
New: we received it. Sent: passed on to the right authority. Acknowledged: they confirmed they got it. Resolved: it has been fixed.
Weekly town report coming soon
Every week HOLESA publishes a short summary per town: what was reported most, what was confirmed and what was resolved. Only counts and locations are shown, never who reported.
Who sees your information
Your name, email and phone are never shown publicly. Only the HOLESA admin can see them, as required by POPIA. Read the privacy policy for details.
The HOLESA app coming soon
The app is being built. Founding members who register now get early access and are emailed first. A link to the app will appear on this website as soon as it is ready.
HOLESA is not an emergency service. In an emergency call SAPS on 10111, 112 from a cellphone, or 10177 for ambulance and fire. Questions? Email info@holesa.co.za.
Hotspot map (example)
This is an example of how reports will appear per town. Colours show the type of report and bigger circles mean more neighbours confirmed it. Tap a circle for details. Only the type, approximate location and status are shown, never who reported.
Example data
PotholeWater leakPower outageCrimeScam
The more people join, the better it works for South Africa
Every report, every member and every business adds to the picture. One report is a story. A thousand reports show a pattern that communities, CPFs and authorities can act on.
1You join
10Your street is covered
1,000Your town sees patterns
1,000,000A safer South Africa
Across South Africa
HOLESA is for every community in the country, from big metros to small farming towns, working closely with residents and community groups.
GautengWestern CapeKwaZulu-NatalEastern CapeFree StateLimpopoMpumalangaNorth WestNorthern Cape
Local Hub for businesses
We are building a Local Hub of trusted local businesses, so people using HOLESA can find them easily.
Local businesses keep our towns going.
From the farm stall to the security company, HOLESA helps residents find trusted local businesses that support the community. Listing is free.
Free listing
Local businesses can be listed free, with no contract.
Verified in person
Our representatives may visit to confirm the business exists and supports the community.
Optional sponsorship
Sponsorship is voluntary. It never buys verification, favourable safety reporting or guaranteed referrals.
How we check reports
- Every report is reviewed by a person before it is marked verified. Unverified reports are clearly labelled.
- Reporters are never named, and we never publish names or photos of suspects.
- See something false? Use "Flag this report" in the app or email info@holesa.co.za. We review it within 2 working days.
Community rules
- No names, photos or addresses of suspects
- No rumours: share what you saw, not what you heard
- No hate speech, insults or political fights
- Never put yourself or others in danger to make a report
- In an emergency call 10111 or 112 first. HOLESA is not an emergency service
Privacy & trust
A safety platform only works if people trust it.
Reporters are protected
Personal details of people who report are never published.
Clear labels
Every report shows its status. Unverified information is marked as such.
Honest sources
Where we show public statistics, we name the source and its limits, such as the period it covers.
Consent first
We do not record or publish anyone without written consent.
What the HoleSA app can do
PANIC button
Hold for 3 seconds to flag an emergency in the app.
Farm Alerts / Security
Share and see security alerts from farms in your area.
Neighbourhood watch groups
Join your local group and stay in touch with your community.
Community Directory
Find trusted local businesses and services.
⚠️ This does not alert police or emergency services. In danger, call 10111 or 112.
The app is currently available to selected members only. Register below to join the waiting list.
Register with HOLESA
Join as a founding member: get early access and help choose the first towns.
⏱ Takes about 1 minute · Free
POPIA privacy notice
HOLESA follows the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).
- Purpose: only to register you, contact you about HOLESA and (for businesses) create your Local Hub listing.
- Minimal data: we ask only for what we need. No ID numbers.
- Consent: nothing is processed without your consent. Marketing is opt-in only.
- No selling: we never sell or share your personal information with third parties.
- Security: information is stored securely and kept only as long as needed.
- Your rights: you may access, correct or delete your information, or withdraw consent, at any time by emailing info@holesa.co.za.
- Complaints: you may complain to the Information Regulator: inforeg.org.za.
- Information Officer: Steven du Preez, info@holesa.co.za
Frequently asked questions
Is HOLESA free?
Yes. HOLESA is free for the public, always. Business listings are free too.
Will my name be shown?
No. Reporters are never named publicly.
Is this the police?
No. HOLESA is an independent community platform. In an emergency call 10111 or 112.
What happens to my report?
A person reviews it, labels its status and adds it to the map. False or harmful reports are removed.
When is the app launching?
The app is in development. Register as a founding member and we will email you first.
How do I get help?
Email info@holesa.co.za. We reply within 2 working days.
Partner with HOLESA
For insurers, security firms, tracking companies, medical response services and municipalities that want to support safer communities. Public access always stays free.
Community Sponsor
Support HOLESA in one town, with recognition on the local page.
Province Partner
Support a whole province, with recognition across that province.
National Partner
Support HOLESA across South Africa, with joint campaigns and safety content.
⚖ Sponsors never influence, edit or remove reports.
Become a partner Media & partner kit (PDF)
Why I started HOLESA
In the past five years I’ve had my phone pickpocketed, and I’ve been assaulted and mugged. Then my car was taken in for repairs I never agreed to, and I was handed a bill of R84,500 for storage.
I’ve also been unemployed for those five years, so I know how hard it is when you lose something you can’t afford to replace. Every time, I felt I had nowhere to turn and no way of warning anyone else.
So I started HOLESA: a place where our community can report what happens, warn each other and find businesses we can trust. If it stops even one person going through what I went through, it’s worth it.
Steven du Preez, Founder & Information Officer
Contact: info@holesa.co.za
Get involved
Resident, neighbourhood watch, CPF, business or potential partner? We would love to hear from you.
info@holesa.co.zaHOLESA app: coming soonStay connected while we build
Follow HOLESA on Facebook for weekly updates and safety tips.
Follow on FacebookOfficial partnership
HOLESA x Chaplain To Serve & Care NPC
Taking hands for safer communities. Together we promote community safety, awareness and support for vulnerable people, families and communities, starting in Brits.
Chaplain Zenobia Lutzke-GousFounder, Chaplain To Serve & Care NPC, Brits
Steven du PreezFounder, HOLESA