Have you ever thought to check if your private security company is compliant?

The sector has grown in recent years but not all are operating legally with staff and customers being potentially put at risk.

July 10, 2023

Emily Wellman Bain 1 minute read

The private security sector has mushroomed since the dawn of democracy.

The space is governed by several legally binding documents and acts to ensure that those who work in the sector are sufficiently trained to do so and are looked after while carrying out their duties.

Customers of private security companies need to know that they can themselves be held criminally complicit in utilising the services of an unregistered security company or unregistered security officer.

Read part 2 here:

Guard describes terrible working conditions at private security company

Private security companies that cut corners by not paying minimum salaries to their employees, or who don’t cover them for the statutory provident fund and medical insurance, for example, create unfair competition with companies that do and deprive their employees of these important statutory benefits.

When shopping around for which one you choose to protect you or your home or business, here are a few questions to ask service providers. Any legitimate private security company must have the following minimum requirements to be compliant.

SCP Security’s Clive Maher said, “A lot of companies have been opening and because they are charging less, many people jump at the opportunity for cheaper security. But at what cost? The person responding to an emergency alert is probably not properly registered and doesn’t have the necessary training to respond should a dangerous situation happen, or the guard could lose his life.”

Maher said, “Companies that are visible in the community with branded vehicles do not mean they are compliant.”

Beagle Watch officer Lutendo David Mashau.

André Aiton from Beagle Watch said, “Over the years in our footprint, several new security companies have started up and are not fully compliant.”

The Northcliff Melville Times approached several private security companies to check their compliance with the below.

Only two responded, who are fully compliant – SCP Security and Beagle Watch Armed Response.

Two others have indicated that they are partially compliant, one did not respond to enquiries at the time of going to print and one communicated with the newspaper via an attorney.