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The private security industry in South Africa is experiencing a number of intersecting pressures.

This sector of the employment generating business has seen exponential growth in the last 10 years driven in large part by a sense of insufficient confidence in the willingness and ability of the SAPS to meet people’s concerns about the risk of crime. Whilst this has generated numerous jobs and encouraged entrepreneurs from the large and small companies to expand, the central monitoring organisation the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), has struggled to keep pace with the growth.

The result has been a growth of unregulated or inspected businesses and the associated risks of poor service and poor quality of training. This is further reflected in the loss of confidence that insurance companies have in the capabilities of non-compliant companies and subsequent problems linked to insurance claims.

Recently PSIRA have increased the fees they demand from the companies supplying security services in part to hire more inspectors to drive through compliance with regulations that are already in place and those that are emerging from the proposed changes to regulation that are passing through parliament at present.

Back in Dec 2011 PSIRA gave notice to all security providers that they would be vigorously applying their new Compliance and Enforcement Strategy. In particular they stated they will be using enforcement and prosecution to drive through a new and concerted effort to ensure companies in the security industry are industry compliant and to this end they announced they will be employing surprise inspections.

View original PSIRA announcement letter

Apart from premises inspections and they also inspect the officers in the employ and  focus on:

  1. Registration and training status and compliance
  2. Reporting of engagement/terminations by the relevant security business
  3. Compliance with uniform requirements as well as firearms
  4. General conditions of employment

 

Background

Ghost Security PSIRA Certificate for Inspection 2013

PSIRA Cert July 2013

There are over 200, 000 unregistered security guards working in South Africa. This means that there are hundreds of non PSIRA compliant security companies roaming the streets of South Africa. Even more worrying is the amount of unlicensed weapons that these non- compliant security guards and companies are handling on a daily basis. The consequences of this might not seem detrimental however the truth of the matter is that any non- PSIRA complaint business is liable to a hefty fine or a prison sentence of up to 2 years. Every month inspections are uncovering non-compliant companies who are then reported, suspended or charged.

Ghost Security Services and Risk Management Inspections

At the end of July 2013 Ghost had an unannounced inspection from the PSIRA inspectors, who, as is their remit investigated all of the key regulatory elements of the company to ensure we meet their compliance status. We are pleased to report that we were passed as compliant, but also that this level of scrutiny brings with it an increased sense of ‘planning’ going forward.

As a growing company in a small community we want to provide the very best of services for our clients and this includes managing the regulatory processes. Hardly had we had time to settle back into the day to day running of our control centre and staff when a second; firearms inspection took place, again this was unannounced and we are pleased to announce that Ghost was successful once more in meeting all compliance requirements.

Never one to stand still, we have begun to implement further administrative procedures to ensure that as we grow our capabilities in the field and at the administration office that these efforts are matched by our on-going investment in staff, and equipment. We will work to keep you safe and compliant with all of your insurance needs as well, by maintaining our PSIRA membership and by being proud and pro active in our ability to meet and exceed all compliance matters.