13 Jul 2024

Procuring entities have been warned against engaging suspended private security companies, as their operation is unlawful. The acting Board Secretary of the Private Security Services Board, Mr Tshenolo Ratshosa said this in an interview on Friday following the suspension of another batch of private security companies for non-compliance. The newly suspended private security companies are Voltage Security Services, Lentiox’s Security, Wess Security Services, Olebeng Security, Giodino Security and Taggles Security Services. Other security companies which remained suspended since January this year are Flexmo Security Services, Jungle In Green Land Security Services, Western Security Services, Syngenta Holdings Security, Wounded Buffalo Security Guard Services, Petrosa Security Services, Majuxen Security Services, Skyview Security, E-Pac Security Solutions and Tswapong Security. Mr Ratshosa said the suspensions were due to incidents of non-compliance to the Private Security Services Act and Employment Act. He advised the public to only engage with the concerned companies once they proved that they have rectified their non-compliance status and reinstated to operate. Mr Ratshosa said the procuring entities who were having running contracts with the said companies should know they were dealing with unlawful entities, adding that when a license was suspended, the private security operations automatically became unlawful. He said part of the agreement between the procuring entity and private security company was that the latter’s operation license should be valid. He said failure by a private security company to have a license was a contravention of the agreement on the part of the security company. Furthermore, Mr Ratshosa said there was nothing in the law that the Board could do against procuring entities which continued to engage suspended private security companies, other than to caution them. However, he said the board could take action against any suspended private security company, which defied the board decision and operated without a license. Mr Ratshosa said such a defaulting entity could be fined up to P50 000 for their dubious actions. Furthermore, he said since the Private Security Services Board started suspensions, there was a general overall improvement in the dealings of private security companies. He further said the board often engaged in site visits around the country to ensure compliance to the Act. Also, 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. He said such documents could be a settlement agreement, judgment or default judgment against a security company. Also, he said for the suspensions to be lifted, a security company would have to rectify its transgressions. Ends