Some of the horrors of the past few weeks don’t need revisiting, another rape occurring around the Rhodes Memorial and the brutal murder of 16-year-old Franziska Blöchliger well documented.

As a result we have heard many people bemoan the lack of safety one feels when going for a jog in areas such as Newlands or Tokai, the latter seeing another woman recount her story of unsavoury characters on the loose.

This has resulted in a group of developers coming together to form an app aimed at combating this problem. Here’s HTXT:

A hackathon has been planned to rally techies in the Mother City to create the Hamba Safe app, aimed at enabling people to run, walk or cycle safely…

“These crimes have triggered conversations this week about the need for a solution for people wanting to enjoy the outdoors safely,” the Hamba Safe Facebook page reads.

“Whether it’s recreational walking, running, cycling or simply trying to get from point A to B regardless of your location, an app is required that will enable safety in numbers by helping people easily connect and plan for any ‘on the fly’ or pre-arranged activity,” the page continues.

A rough plan for how the app will work is that in order for users to sign up through the app, they’ll have to go through a validation processes such as a login and ID validation to ensure that access and participation is limited to authentic members.

That app sounds like it would be awesome, although we can’t help but figure that these peeps are missing a beat. There is already an app that connects neighbours around the country, verifying each user before allowing them to join to ensure the safety of the other members.

It’s called OurHood, and it offers a wide range of features aimed at creating a digital space that connects neighbours online to build safer, happier neighbourhoods offline.

Register and get in touch with your civic associations, neighbourhood watches, CID groups and other organisations dedicated to bettering your community. Find out what’s good in your hood – including recreational classes, events, markets, fetes, street parties, charity drives and more.

But, perhaps most importantly, enjoy a space where your neighbourhood can work together for the benefit of everyone involved. The crime we face on a day to day basis won’t go away, that’s the unfortunate truth, but if we all pull in the same direction that can’t be a bad thing.

[source:htxt]