AfriForum has filed a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) request with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to uncover how many police stations across the country depend on private security companies to safeguard their premises. This move comes amid concerns over proposed amendments to the Private Security Industry Regulation Act, published by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on 28 March in the Government Gazette. Reports indicate that SAPS increasingly relies on private firms due to chronic staffing shortages and limited resources, which hinder police officers’ ability to secure their own facilities.

Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety, criticized the contradiction in government policy: “It’s unacceptable that SAPS leans on private security to protect its stations while the government advances regulations that could cripple the industry. If these changes are enforced, even police facilities may lose effective protection.”

Drawing from concerns also raised by others (see analyses by Gideon Joubert and Reuben Coetzer), AfriForum warns that the draft regulations could devastate the private security sector, which plays a vital role in South Africa’s safety net. Key issues include:

• Disarming on suspicion: Security companies could be barred from arming officers if under investigation, even without formal charges, creating operational paralysis.
• Firearm bans in public spaces: Armed guards might be prohibited from carrying weapons in places like shopping centres, schools, or churches unless vague conditions are met, undermining their ability to respond to threats.
• Ambiguous ammunition limits: The regulations cap ammunition at a “reasonable quantity” without clear definitions, risking legal and practical confusion.
• Unfeasible tracking mandates: Requiring tracking devices on every firearm is seen as impractical, given existing stringent firearm controls, and could impose crippling costs on firms.
• Prohibitions on less-lethal tools: Bans on rubber bullets, tasers, and water cannons would strip security teams of essential options for managing riots or violent unrest.

“With violent crime soaring and SAPS stretched thin, private security is a critical shield for millions of South Africans,” Broodryk said. “These regulations don’t just weaken the industry—they endanger lives by disarming those who protect us.”

AfriForum urges the public to join its campaign against these damaging proposals. The deadline for public comments is 25 April.

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