Security companies in Ndlambe have added their voices to concern in the industry about draft amendments to the Private Security Industry Act concerning firearms. However, Gun Free South Africa has welcomed the draft regulations, saying they are essential given the scale of the industry compared to state policing structures. And the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) believes they are a positive step toward professionalising the industry and strengthening the fight against crime and unlicensed firearms.
Police minister Senzo Mchunu drafted amendments to the Private Security Industry Regulation Act, after consultations with the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSIRA). They were gazetted on March 28, 2025 for general information and for written comment by April 27, 2025.
The amendments seek tighter control over firearms within the industry, and how they are used. Correct, up to date certification of personnel available on demand, and stringent record keeping of the issuing and movement of firearms is one of the emphases of the draft amendments. Also in the draft amendments are special conditions for the carrying of firearms in public places such as taxi ranks, shopping centres, cemeteries, stadiums and hospitals.
A clause that has drawn some of the sharpest criticism from some is the stipulation that a private security company under investigation would not be allowed to issue firearms to its officers, for the entire duration of the investigation.
In the Ndlambe municipal area, only two security companies, Multi Security and Hi Tec Coastal, are registered and licensed to issue firearms to their response officers.
Talk of the Town asked them how the proposed amendments would affect their operations; what are their main concerns are about the draft amendments; whether there are positive aspects; and whether they will be submitting comments.
Wording
Multi Security owner Clinton Millard said if passed, the amendments would definitely affect their operations.
“I don’t think the wording has been thought through, because the way they’ve put it, it would make it difficult to respond to clients in public spaces such as shopping centres.
“And then aspects like the tracking devices on the firearms – I haven’t seen a product that can actually do that. How are they going to keep a product like that charged; how are they going to monitor it – and what companies are even available to do it?”
Millard said the situational analysis for each client that giving effect to the regulations would require would take resources and incur a cost that would have to be passed on to the client.
One of the main concerns, said Millard, was the lack of practical thinking through how the new regulations would be implemented.
“The security industry started because of a lack of capacity in government. Now you’re putting more on their plates. Where are they going to get the capacity to monitor and police these regulations?”
Positives
Millard does think there are some positives, however. “Especially the policing of semi-automatic firearms. A lot of companies have semi-automatic firearms but they’re just left to do what they want. If the authority can exercise more control over that, it would be good. But if they can’t properly police firearms as it is, how are they going to be able to control [these additional aspects]?”
Millard said Multi is a member of the South African Intruder Detection Services Association (SAIDSA) which submitted comments on behalf of its affiliates on April 15.
In a media statement dated April 16, SAIDSA said some of the controls over the use of firearms and weapons in the private security industry proposed in the draft amendments were not in the best interest of either the industry or the public.
“It will potentially impact negatively on employment stability within… and the effectiveness of the security industry,” SAIDSA said in the media statement.
“SAIDSA will closely monitor the process and keep members informed of any developments going forward and in addition take such further necessary steps, if required, to protect the rights of our members.
“We invite the Minister and [PSIRA] to engage with the private security industry to find a just and equitable solution that supports the fundamental rights of our members and the public…”.
Additional costs
Hi Tec Coastal owner Andre Wille said that if passed, the amendments would negatively impact on the industry which in turn would affect the customer as the end user.
“The government is not providing adequate security to our citizens and yet is trying to implement further restrictions on the private security industry. The immediate implications are sure to be additional costs regarding the implementation of the various new proposals such as firearm tracking,” Wille said.
“This regulation [firearm tracking] is a sensible necessity; however it must also be strictly implemented within the SAPS and SANDF, as these institutions are responsible for hundreds and thousands of missing firearms obviously fuelling the already dire violent crime situation within our country.”
Professionalisation
Responding to questions from Talk of the Town, SASSETA said the emphasis on compliance, thorough vetting, competence and firearm safety in the draft amendments were a positive step toward professionalising the industry and strengthening the fight against crime and unlicenced firearms.
“Strengthening vetting mechanisms and minimum standards for armed officers will ensure a more trustworthy security workforce which is necessary for protecting citizens and safety of our country,” spokesperson Mpho Majatladi said.
Accountability
Gun Free South Africa (GFSA) welcomed the draft regulations and said they were a long-overdue step towards greater accountability in the country’s extensive private security industry.
In an interview with TimesLIVE, GFSA director Dr Stanley Maphosa said the move was critical given the sheer scale of the industry compared to state policing structures.
“South Africa’s private security industry is four times bigger than our police service. According to the 2023/24 figures taken from SAPS and PSIRA annual reports, there are 608,977 registered active security officers compared to 150,388 SAPS Act employees, yet it operates largely without oversight or control,” said Maphosa.
The changes come amid broader efforts to review and tighten firearm laws in the country, announced last year by Mchunu as part of a national strategy to deal with the growing use of unlicensed and stolen guns.
Mchunu’s predecessor, Bheki Cele, revealed in parliament that nearly 2,000 firearms were stolen from the SAPS between 2021 and 2023.
Read the proposed amendments here: bit.ly/TOTTPSIRAChange
-
Additional reporting from TimesLIVE
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, April 17, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
