Private security companies have to do more to ensure the safety of their employees, particularly during cash-in-transit heists, government ministers said on Thursday.
Replying to questions during a media briefing at Parliament, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said the police should not be the only ones to respond to increased crime over the festive season.
”It is not only the police who have to know that [crime increases during the festive season] and do something about it. It’s also the private security companies,” he said.
”What are they doing to ensure their own vehicles are safe enough for their employees?”
Private security companies could not accept business contracts to perform, and then expect government to ensure their operation was safe.
The company that won the contract should also take responsibility and not just ”sit back and say government must do this and government must do that when the contract was not won by the government”.
Most businesses took additional precautions at this time of year to ensure adequate security in their shops, stores and the like. Security companies should do the same, he said.
Deputy Justice Minister Johnny de Lange agreed with Malusi, and cited as an example the vehicles used by most companies to transport cash.
The criminal gangs’ modus operandi was to bump into the vehicles with fast luxury cars, causing the security vehicle to topple and roll over, after which they got inside through the roof.
Yet, there was only one security company using big armoured trucks that did not roll over very easily.
These companies also paid ”slave wages” and their employees received very little training or firearms practice, De Lange said.
”How does an industry that transports R5-billion a day … have the kind of equipment and training they have?”
That was not to say the police should not do its work.
However, the industry should start making sure it also put its house in order, De Lange said. — Sapa