From smiles to possible danger – it is all in a day’s work
They are much more valuable in society than they are given credit for.
OFTEN, security guards are forgotten among the madness of everyday life, but they must not be taken for granted. They protect us, sometimes at their own expense.
The COURIER interviewed Adam Sethunya, a Fox Security employee who guards the Terrace Building premises in New Redruth for five days a week, to get an inside look into the day in the life of a security guard.
Adam (31), who lives in Palmridge, has been working for Fox Security since 2015. Every morning, he gets up at 5am and usually has pap and milk or toast and cheese for breakfast. He leaves his home at 5.50am to travel roughly 10km to work.
If Adam encounters a dangerous situation and needs help, he has an emergency panic button close by to notify Fox Security, who will respond swiftly.
He says his least favourite part of his job is when visitors do not respect his orders. He elaborated: “Sometimes I will tell people that they are not allowed to park in a certain place, but then they’re just, like, ‘Ag, he’s just security guard,’ and don’t listen to what I say.”
However, Adam loves communicating with people and being helpful – this is what he enjoys most about his job. He always makes time for at least a quick, friendly chat with passers-by.
At 5.15pm, Adam finishes for the day and waits for a taxi to take him home. When he gets home at 6.30pm, he washes his face and cleans himself up before unwinding in front of the TV. His favourite programme is Generations, but he also enjoys comedy films as he has a healthy sense of humour.
Over the weekends, Adam loves to play soccer and spend time with his friends. He is a social sort and takes great pleasure in entertaining people. He always has a genuine smile on his face, even at work. One can see by the way he greets everyone as they walk or drive past that he truly loves being around people.
If there is one thing Adam wants people to know about security guards, it’s that they are much more valuable in society than they are given credit for. “As security guards, we must always be very aware and vigilant of everything and everyone. We must be able to read people before we even know them and we must have good communication skills,” he added.
The next time you see a security guard, don’t forget to give him or her a reassuring smile or a thumbs-up – it might just make their day worth the stress!
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