Call for regulation of car guards

LOVE them or hate them, car guards have become part of everyday life in our society. Now, Ward 33 councillor Nicole Graham is calling for the introduction of a regulatory authority at eThekwini Municipality to deal with car guards. However, Graham said when she first proposed the motion at a meeting of council, it was voted down by the ANC majority.

“Durban has become overrun with people posing as car guards. Business owners, SAPS and CPFs all report that these people are often responsible for the sale of drugs, theft of and out of motor vehicles and encouraging people to contravene by-laws. This is evident most obviously in tourism and nightlife precincts, like Helen Joseph (Davenport) and Florida Roads as well as the beachfront. They are also often aggressive to motorists, threatening them or scratching their vehicles and fighting among themselves,” she said.

Graham mentioned an incident where a car guard stabbed and attacked one of the other guards working in Helen Joseph (Davenport) Road, last week, after the man had allegedly stolen his money. He was arrested by Umbilo SAPS.

“These type of incidents will continue to plague communities until such time as the municipality takes action,” she said.

“The motion that I proposed urged the city to take control of this situation and ensure that those working as car guards are screened, given authorisation and held accountable. This would ensure that those who genuinely wish to make a living by providing a security service are able to work safely, and the criminal elements are taken off of our streets,” she said.

According to Dave Pusey from Park Smart, measures to regulate car guards were drawn up and possibly even implemented, as far back as the mid 90s, by the then Chief Constable of the Durban City Police, Alf Taylor and Brigadier Ronnie Winter, Station Commander at CR Swart Square.

“To the best of my knowledge, these regulations have not been repealed. I contacted Councillor Graham and requested to meet with her, to discuss a way forward with regards to re-implementing these measures. I believe the only solution to the street car guard issue is for them to be regulated by Metro Police, as they are the City’s police force, thereafter formalised, trained and managed by private companies, such as myself (Park Smart),” he said.

Pusey said the process would require the car guards to be thoroughly vetted, with their fingerprints taken and criminal and background records checked.

“A private, reputable company/s should be appointed to manage the car guards in their specific areas and the police, both Metro and SAPS, should carry out random inspections of the car guards, ensuring that they and the companies managing them are complying with the service level agreements insofar as being properly uniformed, carrying identification, sober, clean, and not selling drugs. Erring or non-compliant car guards and companies should lose the right to operate.

I firmly believe that if this is implemented, it could lead to a reduction in street crimes and would improve the city’s image,” said Dave.

Blue Security operations manager Brian Jackson agreed with the regulation of car guards. “We are of the view that it is in the interests of the safety of motorists and their property that car guard services should be regulated and controlled by the municipality as it has been done elsewhere in the province. Umhlathuze Municipality, for example, has bylaws relating to the control of parking attendants/car guards that provide clear rules for the control of car guards, limiting their operation to specific ‘demarcated’ parking lots and making it illegal for dubious individuals to use car guarding as a guise for criminal activities such as breaking into vehicles parked on public roads.”

Jackson said under these bylaws car guards have to be registered with a municipal approved administrator who manages their activities and they have to carry an identification card at all times. He said the municipality can also refuse to register or deregister car guards who are found to have committed a criminal offence.

“Car guards who contravene the bylaws – which include rules like not working while intoxicated, not sleeping at the parking lot overnight and not causing damage to property or obstructing traffic – could be slapped with a fine or face imprisonment. If similar bylaws were implemented and enforced in Durban it would go a long way to remove dubious individuals who pose as car guards but really are only looking for a handout to feed an addiction, or worse, who may even have criminal intentions” he said.