The City of Tshwane has partnered with What3Words to help emergency teams locate callers faster across the metro, especially in areas without formal street addresses. The City’s Emergency Services Department announced the rollout for the 107 Emergency Call Centre on 22 May 2026.
The technology divides the entire city into 3-metre-by-3-metre squares, with each square assigned a unique combination of three words. Instead of describing a location using landmarks or street names, callers can give dispatchers those three words and emergency staff will know exactly where to go.
The system aims to improve response times in areas without registered addresses and in informal settlements, where residents often rely on landmarks to describe their location. The department said this reliance on landmarks can cause delays when ambulances and firefighters are trying to reach people in an emergency.
To use the system, residents download the free What3Words app from the App Store or Google Play Store. The app works offline, so it can be used anywhere without data or Wi-Fi. When a resident calls 107, they open the app, read the three-word address shown on the screen to the operator, and load the exact spot directly onto the dispatch map.
If a caller does not have the app installed, the call centre can send a secure SMS link. When the link is opened, the three-word address appears on the phone so it can be read out to the operator. The app is available in Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu and English, allowing residents to use it in their preferred language.
“Emergencies can occur anywhere and at any time, and having quick access to an accurate location can save valuable time and potentially save lives,” the department said.
Residents are encouraged to download the app and familiarise themselves with it before an emergency occurs.