Evidence wa ka Ngobeni
The security company hired by the Gauteng government to relocate hundreds of Alexandra residents is facing disciplinary action for allegedly breaching regulations governing the security industry. The Security Officers Board (SOB), a statutory body charged with regulating the security industry, confirmed this week that Wozani Security is being investigated for contravening the board’s code of conduct.
Wozani Security is accused of employing unregistered security officers and failing to uphold the board’s training standards. The security company may have its licence withdrawn or face a heavy fine if found guilty by the board’s disciplinary committee.
SOB sources said unregistered security officers are often used by security companies in order to avoid paying annual fees to the board, adhering to the basic employment regulations and underpaying staff. The SOB says Wozani Security will receive a charge sheet in the next few days. The disciplinary hearing will be held after the company has responded to the charges. The process will take a month to complete. The SOB has expressed concerns about Wozani using unemployed youths who have no training as security guards. “We have been informed that [Wozani Security] uses people [it] picks up from the corners,” said SOB’s legal services head, Stefan Badenhorst. Badenhorst said Wozani Security has been under investigation for the past few months “to find out if [it] follows the regulations”. He warned: “The board will make sure that all companies adhere to the law of the country, including labour laws. If it does not do that, its licence may be withdrawn by the board or [it might] be fined heavily”. Badenhorst said it was not clear whether the Wozani would be held legally liable if its casual workers were injured in the course of their duties.
Wozani Security was registered in 1998 and is run by two directors, Shengivee Naick and Modimetja Selepe. Neither was available to comment this week.
A representative for the Gauteng Department of Housing, Dumisani Zulu, said Wozani Security was hired by the sheriff responsible for the Alexandra area. Zulu said the department had merely applied for a court order to effect the eviction. On Tuesday Wozani Security was a major role player in the eviction and relocation of Alexandra residents living on the banks of the Jukskei river.
Wozani’s operation was characterised by conflicts, which resulted in one person being shot and several others seriously wounded.
Alexandra residents blamed the conflict squarely on Wozani’s security guards, who also allegedly fired live ammunition at a crowd protesting against the removals.
An eyewitness said a resident nearly lost his life after members of Wozani Security viciously assaulted him. The resident, who was saved by the police, was accused of being in possession of an illegal firearm.