• Ambulance: 10177
• Any emergency: 107 from any Telkom phone (landline or pay phone) or 021 480 7700 from a cell phone.
• Cell phone emergency (Cell C, MTN, Vodacom): 112
• Police: 10111
• Poison information: 0800 33 3444

Here are a couple of useful tips from SAPS to keep in mind when making an emergency call:

• Give the operator your full name and phone number immediately so that they can call you back or trace you if you are disconnected.
• Tell the operator where you are.  Assume that the people trying to reach you do not know your neighbourhood, and give as much detail as possible.
• Tell the operator the name of your suburb as well as street name and number.
• Describe the nature of your emergency as fully as possible:
  • Let the operator know if you or anyone else is in any immediate danger.
  • If anyone is injured, explain how many victims there are, and describe the nature of their injuries.
  • Clearly indicate what kind of service you need – police, medical, fire rescue, or all of them.
  • If a crime has been committed, try to provide a detailed description of the suspects, including whether they were armed, which way they fled, what was stolen and what they were wearing.
• Stay on the line for as long as the operator asks you to, if you are able to do so.

Visit the OK and GP CID website for a comprehensive list of emergency numbers in Cape Town, and joburg.org.za for Johannesburg.