Businesses and estate managers have been warned to be vigilant when contracting security companies in Midrand and ensure that the security officers are compliant with industry regulations.
This warning was issued by the business unit manager of Innovative Guarding Solutions, Shaun Bouwer.
“People place trust in their guards and no doubt would be horrified to learn that in many instances these individuals are unregistered, undocumented migrants, untrained and, in some cases, have a criminal record.
“Unqualified and unscreened security officers have little or no value to their clients‚ in fact, some of them could be the very people we are trying to keep out,” said Bouwer.
He based his warnings on a presentation by the Security Association of South Africa (Sasa) which revealed that a whopping 80 per cent of security officers are non-compliant with the security industries standards.
There are reportedly about 500 000 security officers in South Africa currently employed by 9 000 companies and due to the high demand for security in the country, guards are being pushed into the market by security companies without receiving proper screening and training.
Read Rabie Ridge takes a stand against escalating crime in the area
The association further revealed that there are thousands of security training centres, which provide certificates to individuals seeking to enter the industry, which do not provide training.
“The security industry is consequently facing huge challenges when it comes to legislation‚ inconsistent levels of training and non-compliance with industry standards,” explained Bouwer.
He added that Innovative Guarding Solutions places enormous emphasis on thoroughly vetting staff, conducts background and criminal checks, verifies that certification is legitimate and provides guards with ongoing professional training.
“Residents on the estates we are currently guarding have reported that crime levels have significantly dropped since we have taken over their security. We use only highly experienced security professionals who are committed to deterring crime before it takes place. We believe that prevention is better than cure,” concluded Bouwer.
Edited by Stacey Woensdregt
What are your views about the association’s revelations? Tweet us on @MidrandReporter
