26 Jun 2018

Chairperson of the newly established Private Security Licensing Board, Mr Thebeyame Tsimako says Parliament, through the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security, has passed an Act to regulate and provide for the licensing of private guard companies, which must be wholly owned by Batswana and other matters ancillary thereto.

Mr Tsimako, who was addressing the Southern District full council session on June 25, said the Act, also provided for the regulation of the private security services industry.

‘’This Act may be cited as the Private Guard Companies Act (Amendment) Bill, 2004, amending the Private Guard Companies Act’’, he said.

He said only persons who were citizens of Botswana or companies, which were wholly owned by citizens of Botswana, would issued with licences in terms of the provisions of Act.

Mr Tsimako said they had already addressed all the private security guard companies based in the country on the laws and policies regulating the private security industry.

“Any person who contravened any provision of the regulations, for which no other penalty is prescribed, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine,” he said.

He said no licensee shall employ from within or outside Botswana, as a security guard, any person who has been convicted of an offence involving moral corruption or against whom criminal proceedings are pending.

‘’Private security services companies that fail to comply with an order for wages would have their licences cancelled’’, he said.

He said an application for a security guard licence shall be made to the controller in a form that may be prescribed and shall contain all the information specified in Section 5 of the Act.

The controller, he said shall, in writing, inform the applicant of the decision regarding the application for a licence in a manner that may conform in substantial detail to a form that may be prescribed.

On other issues, Mr Tsimako stated that there was concern that security guards were paid late and were also not given uniform.

 He also noted that some guards did not have guard rooms or shelter at their work stations.

Councillors said customers paid security companies on time, yet they pay their employees late and some use the money for luxuries. ENDS