The man at the helm of the bodyguards protecting the administrator, Mr Theo van Vuuren, and the Chief Financial Officer, Mr Ben Dorfling, paid an admission of guilt fine after it was found that the company rendering the security service was not registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA).
Mr Verne St John Clark appeared in Witbank Magistrate’s Court on July 30 where he paid the fine of R5 000.
If not properly registered, the question pops up how did he secure the tender to tighten the security around the prominent figures in the municipality?
Van Vuuren said Clark works for a security company called Msanzi Guarding and Events CC and they specialise in guarding, events, security and other related matters.
WITBANK NEWS spoke to the founder member of Msanzi Guarding and Events, Mr Melusi Clifford Dladla and he said Clark approached him in June this year asking for a job as an administrator of the company.
“I am making it clear that Verne is not working as a security guard but as an administrator,” said Dladla.
He said he is aware that Clark has had problems with PSIRA and is being castigated by the municipality for not having the necessary registration in order.
Van Vuuren said he does not know why Clarke paid an admission of guilt fine.
“I suspect it has something to do with his personal registration in the security industry,” Van Vuuren said.
This incident is leaving the municipality red in the face as it follows an article published on June 6 (‘Muscle-men’ not that expensive and a necessity said Mr Fix-it ) wherein Van Vuuren had to explain why close to R20-million is being paid on security.
He said: “Only six so-called bodyguards are employed to protect senior staff. The others are protecting the building, assets and are involved in the law enforcement operations and forensic investigations. They are not bodyguards.”
Van Vuuren said the R20-million can be broken down into three spheres, law enforcement unit, forensic investigations and then lastly personal protection.
“From the R20-million mentioned in the article less than 25% can be considered for personal protection. To have personal and general security and protection in place is viewed by the municipal senior management as an absolute necessity as the municipality is an unsafe environment and the forensic investigations, addressing of illegal activities as well as some elements in the internal staffing environment, necessitate security,” Van Vuuren said.
All attempts to get hold of Clark were fruitless.
