07 Jan 2024

The Private Security Services Licensing Board has suspended 11 operating licenses of various private security companies for non-compliance.

Acting director in the Department of Private Security Services Licensing Unit in the Ministry of Defence and Security, Mr Tshenolo Ratshosa, said in an interview Friday that the suspensions were due to a number of issues among them staff welfare such as failing to pay salaries. 

Mr Ratshosa said for the Private Security Services Licensing Board to take such a drastic decision, there had to be legal documents in place pronouncing non-compliance of the said private security company. 

Such document could be a settlement agreement or a court judgment against a security company, he said. 

Further, Mr Ratshosa said for the suspensions to be lifted, a security company would have to rectify its transgressions.

The explanation from the acting director followed a media release on Friday which warned the public not to engage certain private security companies as they had been suspended. 

He said for companies to be removed from the suspension list and re-instated to operate, they would have to prove that they had rectified the issues that had caused the suspension

.The listed companies were Lushow Security Services (Pty) Ltd , Ultimate Security, Flexmo Security Services, Jungle In Green Land Security Services (Pty) Ltd , Western Security Services (Pty) Ltd, Syngenta Holdings Security, Blackbone Security (Pty) Ltd , Wounded Buffalo Security Guard Services (Pty) Ltd, Pertrosa Security Services, Majuxen Security Services (Pty) Ltd and Skyview Security (Pty) Ltd.

The media release from Department of Private Security Services Licensing Unit says the regulation of the private security industry was significant for achieving and maintaining a legitimate, trustworthy and competent private security industry. 

It notes that there has been an increase in the incidents of non-compliance to the Private Security Services Act and Employment Act by private security services companies.

Hence the release says Private Security Services Licensing Board in terms of the Private Security Services Act of 2015 as per section 24 resolved to suspend the affected security companies with immediate effect.  

The release says the board further advises the public to always verify the status of any private security services company with the Ministry of Defence and Security (private security services licensing unit) before engaging them. Ends