Minister’s paid leave halts controversial security legislation

Wahl Bartmann, CEO of South Africa’s largest private security company, Fidelity, brings the same fierce determination he showed as a Springbok flanker to his leadership role.

This much was clear when on invitation of Pretoria business leaders at a meeting of the Pretoria Sakekamer in Centurion on July 24, he spoke on where the country stands with regards to the controversial proposals on the legislation for the private security industry.

Bartmann, who is known for his candid and insightful views, spoke openly about the challenges facing the private security industry, particularly regarding the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) and proposed new legislation for the industry.

“The approval and implementation of the proposed legislation around PSIRA is currently in a vacuum,” Bartmann explained.

The draft legislation, intended to tighten regulation of the private security industry, has stalled, with the minister of police on paid leave and no clear way forward.

“In the meantime, we face several big problems like fraud, corruption, and a police force that no longer functions as it should.”

PSIRA and the proposed new regulations and laws were established to regulate and control the private security industry, ensuring providers operate legally and professionally.

Bartmann said the industry faces deep systemic issues.

“After the recent problems with the allegations on management members of the police, many other problems surfaced. The police have allegedly been infiltrated by syndicates, and now there is a bigger picture beyond possible police corruption on fraud, taxi violence, and drugs. There are, for example, serious problems around the tender process for the control of firearms. The tender has been stopped because of chaos around its announcement, even before legislation was passed and possible corruption.
“How can you control a sector when the police themselves are not reliable?”

Bartmann is especially concerned about the risks posed by the widespread theft of firearms during cash-in-transit robberies.

“During cash-in-transit heists, you typically lose three weapons. But how do you track them? We deliver cash everywhere, even to small towns like Pofadder and every one of those guns is a potential danger in the wrong hands. There is also the money laundering, a side effect of these heists where stolen money is used, for example, to buy two tons of chicken from a wholesaler to wash the money back into the system. This shows how sophisticated these syndicates have become.”

He points to a worrying trend: “Where corruption was often more prevalent in government institutions, now it is also a serious problem in private companies. Syndicates in our industry plan how to get tenders, and too often, the rules are not applied properly. PSIRA is supposed to police these rules, but it does not happen. There are now 600 000 people in the industry. It is huge, but fairly unregulated.”

Using a rugby analogy, Bartmann described the impact of the new draft legislation.

“In rugby, you play with 15 men on each side. But with the new laws, the referee gets involved in the game, and then you cannot win. Corruption has spread like cancer through our country, and now it is affecting our industry too. The legislation has not even been approved yet, but the cracks are already showing.”

Bartmann stressed that private security companies fill a critical gap left by the state.

“All the specialised units are gone. The police very often no longer do their jobs. The question is: how many people who are arrested actually get convicted? The investigative work is almost non-existent. We try to work around it by keeping a watching brief and going to court with charged criminals, but it is tough.”

Despite the many challenges, Bartmann remains cautiously optimistic.

“I am positive, even though there is a lot of negativity. If we do nothing, we might as well give up.”

He admits security legislation needs reform.

“Yes, the current laws are not perfect. But if I did not believe in our solutions, I would have left the industry long ago. We still see a future for South Africa. The solution is obvious if we support each other and work together. First, we must look beyond WhatsApp messages and focus on each other again and stop tearing each other down. One person can make a difference, but a team is a thousand times better. The more people stand together, the bigger the impact.”

Bartmann painted a stark picture of the industry.

“There are more than 16 000 security companies in the country. It is a massive industry that is not properly regulated. The biggest problem is that the rules are not enforced. We are not against change, but it must be sensible and involve all stakeholders.”

He highlights how Fidelity has embraced technology and regulation to improve standards. “We have 10 000 firearms where each has a microchip implanted for identification. PSIRA is also trying to implement a scanning system upfront. Ours is already developed and working well. We do not have to reinvent the wheel. But one of my biggest concerns is how many people will lose their jobs if extra costs force companies to close.”

He acknowledged the sector’s challenges, but calls for unity and practical solutions.

“The intention of the new PSIRA legislation is good, and I agree with it. But the government must talk to us. There is an example in history we can follow with the Security Officers Board that my father founded to regulate the industry. They had a good balance because unions, workers, and employers were involved.”

Bartmann ended on a hopeful note: “Our family still sees South Africa as our future. If we can manage to work together and stop tearing each other down, we can overcome the problems. The industry is large, but together, we can get it right.”

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