GMM cannot afford own security services

The Govan Mbeki Municipality is not in a position to have its own security service.

The executive mayor, Nhlakanipho Zuma said this at the a recent council meeting in response to the Economic Freedom Fighters’ motion to insource a security service to the municipality.

“The municipality is not doing well with revenue collection and sustainability. We are currently operating with 26 security guards from a private company while we are supposed to have 324 guards.”

Zuma said using the services of a private company cost about R36 million, but it is still cheaper than running their own municipal security services.

According to him, the latter will drain the municipal coffers of more than R82m because there will also be additional responsibilities.

He said a detailed report will specify what needs to be done in terms of procurement for the insourcing of security services and what the estimated market-related prices, labour and required licensing will cost the municipality including the timeframe for procurement.

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Zuma said the current contract of the security service provider has already lapsed and the municipality is operating irregularly by hiring guards on a monthly basis. He said this is wasteful and fruitless expenditure.

The mayor claimed not to be totally against the idea of a municipal security service and said other municipalities will be visited to gain insight into their operations.

In the meantime, GMM is going ahead with the procurement for a private security service provider until the council decide.

“This will make it easier the municipality to appoint a service provider if the council decides not to insource,” said Zuma.

The EFF disagreed with the mayor. They accused the security companies that are given a tender, of exploiting the guards and paying them too little.

According to the EFF, there is huge difference between the guards’ salaries and what the municipality is paying the security company for each guard.

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“The report says the council is paying R18 000 per guard per month, while the these poor guards are not even receiving a half of that money for working 12 hour shifts.

“Sometimes they don’t get paid on time,” said Wilson Chauke, EFF councillor.

The EFF also raised theft and vandalism of municipality property while the municipality is paying certain security companies to safeguard its properties.

Zuma responded by saying the security industry is regulated by an independent body which determines the minimum wage for guard.

“How much that particular company pay its guards, is not the municipality’s affair.

Councillors agreed to conduct benchmarking in other municipalities that have their own security service and use temporary services in the meantime.