MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH AS PSiRA RATTLES THE NESTS OF UNSCRUPULOUS PRIVATE SECURITY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND MAKE HISTORIC ARRESTS, IN LESS THAN A WEEK
“In what may have been perceived to be a quiet week in the calendar of the Coronavirus lockdown, it was a crescendo in the law enforcement circles as the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) heightened its statutory mandate by conducting major operations that resulted in no less than 171 individuals arrested, including 8 Directors/Owners of private security companies and confiscated firearms,” PSiRA said in a statement on Tuesday 28 April.
Led by its CEO, Manabela Sam Chauke, a former top forensic Private Investigator himself, the nationwide operation which took place between 21 April to 24 April 2020, involved all PSiRA’s Inspectors who were recalled from their lockdown isolation to come and intensify the Authority’s raid against suspected rot in the industry.
PSiRA was very successful and arrested 8 Directors and made 163 individual arrests.
1748 security officers were inspected and PSiRA found that 173 security officers were unregistered and 159 were untrained. 159 officers were found not to be in possession of Covid-19 essential services permits.
9 Firearms were also confiscated by SAPS
The statutory mandate of PSiRA
To regulate the private security industry and to exercise effective control over the practice of the occupation of security service provider in the public and national interest and the interest of the private security industry itself, and for that purpose, subject to this Act, to-
(a) promote a legitimate private security industry which acts in terms of the principles contained in the Constitution and other applicable law. The provisions of PSiR Act 56 of 2001 also prescribe that, ‘An Inspector may, subject to any direction of the Director, carry out an inspection of the affairs or any part of the affairs of a security service provider, of any other person who employs a security officer, or of a person whom’ (Section 33 (1)).
The operation was dubbed Operation Covid-19 Clean-Up by the Executive Head of Law Enforcement, Adv Linda Mbana, who rallied her ground forces to inspect the private security service providers without fear or favour. The well-orchestrated operations resulted in 171 arrests, confiscation of 9 unlawful firearms and 184 criminal cases opened, all in less than a week.
“Our attitude is zero-tolerance against misconduct and to fiercely protect an industry so often bedevilled by rogue elements masquerading as Security Officers. Therefore, we are duty-bound to regularly conduct these kinds of operations in order to preserve the integrity of the industry but moreover, protect the gains of Freedom sacrificed for by our forerunners”, contended PSiRA CEO, Sam Chauke.
These successful operations took place in Gauteng; North West; KwaZulu-Natal; Eastern Cape and the Western Cape Provinces, respectively.
The security business has grown into a lucrative business for some and there are numerous security companies springing to life, some disappear just as quick, while others hang on.
Lets us all hope there are plans to expand this investigation to other provinces as well.
