INFOGRAPHIC: Growth of private security companies in SA

The recent arrest of 95 Libyan nationals in Mpumalanga, who entered the country under alleged pretenses, has sparked great concern about the private security industry in South Africa.

The group had been living on a military base since April before they were arrested.  They were brought to the country to train to become security personnel.

SABC News Economics editor Tshepo Mongoai says the high crime rates in the country have caused people to resort to private security which has opened up the market.

“Obviously with a crime rate as high as it is in South Africa, this has given rise to the need for more private security. You can tell by the number of people who are increasingly using bodyguards,” says Mongoai.

He further highlights issues within the industry such as:

• Little to no background screening for potential personnel or people planning to open a security company.
• Access to ammunition and weapons leads to the illegal trade of weapons.
• Possibility for criminals to operate under the guise of security companies.

Mongoai mentions the struggles employees face within the industry. “There has been a lot of abuse at the same time where obviously the hours are very long, its 12 hours, salaries are not very good. There are instances where people work without the guard room, exposed to a lot of danger at times.”

In the wake of the incident, the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) faces scrutiny over its vetting processes and the way it regulates security personnel and companies.

The following infographic shows the growth of this industry over the past ten years:

Production Performance Data Infographic by SABC Digital News