Murder accused and owner of Pro Secure security company, Ferrell Govender and his brother Darren Govender, are expected to apply for bail in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The brothers were recently arrested in connection with the murder of Durban businessman Shailel Singh, who was shot multiple times in Umhlanga on December 29. Singh, the owner of a transport company, a husband and a father to a two-month-old child, was shot in the head, neck and abdomen while seated in the driver’s seat of his car behind a popular Umhlanga restaurant. He died at the scene.

Social media reports indicated that two vehicles – a black BMW X5 and a black Ford Ranger – were seen leaving the crime scene. On January 1, the Govenders surrendered to the police after being asked to hand over vehicles linked to the security company, Pro Secure. According to a report by the Daily Maverick, defence attorney Ravindra Maniklall claimed that his clients handed themselves over concerning the seizure of the vehicles, without knowing the charges they were facing.

Pro Secure has been providing security services for the KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) under a controversial contract reportedly costing the municipality R4-million a month.

Opposition parties have long questioned the tender awarded to the company, citing concerns over the high costs and the quality of services rendered.

ActionSA caucus leader Nel Sewraj highlighted that Pro Secure has been the sole security provider for KDM for several years.

“We have opposed this arrangement from the outset and expressed concerns about their reappointment when their contract expired. The municipality’s annual security budget, estimated at R44-million, is excessively high, with nearly R4-million per month reportedly paid to Pro Secure. This aligns with public sentiment regarding the unsustainable costs,” said Sewraj.
He said that in September of 2023, ActionSA submitted a motion to the speaker’s office, urging the municipality to change its approach.

“Our proposal called for the insourcing of all security personnel once the current contract with Pro Secure expires, eliminating the need for further tenders. Additionally, we requested a financial analysis of the insourcing model, but our concerns and recommendations have been disregarded,” said Sewraj.

Democratic Alliance caucus leader Privi Makhan also criticised Pro Secure’s track record.

“In 2023/2024, at least five libraries and the municipal building housing the finance department were broken into under their watch. We have repeatedly called for the service level agreement to be reviewed and for this security provider to be held accountable, but to no avail,” said Makhan.

KDM communication and knowledge management officer, Sphelelo Ngobese, stated that the municipality is currently in a three-year contract that began on April 1, 2023 and will run until March 2026. He said the contract was awarded through a competitive tender process conducted in compliance with the municipal supply chain management policy, ensuring transparency and fairness.

According to Ngobese, the contracted company is tasked with safeguarding municipal property, infrastructure and equipment, ensuring the safety and security of municipal officials, preventing
and mitigating illegal land occupations and providing security services during municipal events and gatherings.

“Pro-Secure is contracted to deliver these services in line with a detailed service level agreement. The municipality regularly monitors service delivery to ensure compliance with the agreed-upon
standards. Yes, their contract was extended in the past due to a lack of responses from bidders, as the municipality required this essential service,” said Ngobese.

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