Dr Sabelo Gumedze, head researcher at PSIRA, holds a Doctor of Social Sciences (International Law) Degree and Licentiate Degree in Social Science (International Law) from the Abo Akademi University in Finland, a Master of Laws (LLM) Degree, specialising in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa from the University of Pretoria, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Bachelor of Arts in Law (BA Law) from the University of Swaziland.
“I have also undertaken courses in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Estonia on international human rights law. And yes, the dull weather and darkness in these countries, especially in winter does shape one’s thinking and approach to life generally,” says Gumedze.
After completing his Bachelor of Law degree, his first job was as a candidate attorney in a firm of attorneys. “I was later admitted as an attorney and practiced as such before pursuing my LLM at Tukkies. Interestingly, I saw the advert for the LLM at a British Council library while I was studying and preparing for my Bar examination.”
He never had his current position in mind when he started his professional career. “When I started my first professional job, I never thought I would one day be heading a research and development unit within a regulator for the private security industry, a subject matter that never ever crossed my mind.”
Asked if there is an event that actually helped shape his career, he said, “Perhaps the defining moment for me on the subject of private security was when I left the University of the Witwatersrand, to join the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) where I researched the privatisation of security phenomenon in Africa. I did this for just over six years. Naturally, it was obvious that my next destination would be to head a research and development unit within an institution dealing with the regulation of the private security industry.
“Another moment is pursuing the LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation, offered by the University of Pretoria. This was a turning point in my career in the sense that it opened many opportunities for me. This prestigious programme, which was tailored to mirror an African version of the European masters on human rights and democratising, became the helipad for my career. Immediately after graduating from the programme, together with 28 bright students from 20 African countries, I found myself working as a legal officer at the African commission on human and people’s rights in Banjul, Gambia, a country that had only one set of traffic lights, at least at the time.
Soon thereafter, I joined the school of Law, at the University of Limpopo (then the University of the North) as a law lecturer. Thereafter I moved to the Oliver Schreiner School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand as a law lecturer.”
Gumedze is now Head of Research at PSIRA where he manages three major projects: partnerships in southern Africa, the guarding security sector and the electronic security sector in South Africa.
“The first project focuses on promoting crime prevention partnerships between state and private security providers in southern Africa, which is a comparative study on Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. Second, the focus is on the guarding security sector in South Africa. Third, is the electronic security sector in South Africa. I am also part of the PSIRA management committee, responsible for driving the organisation’s strategic plan.”
He is also on the performance management committee, responsible for ensuring that the authority is proficient and efficient in undertaking its mandate as informed by the Private Security Industry’s Regulation Act no. 56 of 2001. “Therefore, I consider myself employed and paid to think. Daily, I constantly ask myself difficult questions, answer the ‘why’ questions, and apply my knowledge to various tasks associated with researching on the privatisation of security.
“And also, I think my roles will change in the next two years. The development unit would have by then generated enough knowledge for purposes of finding ways of how to improve and influence policy that will enable the authority to be more effective in carrying out its mandate.”
When asked what advice he would have for up-and-coming security professionals on how to kick-start their careers, Gumedze advises: “I do not consider myself as a security operative. Instead, I generate knowledge on security operatives and how best they can be regulated and controlled from the perspective of the South African law.
“What is important to note is that as individuals, our career paths are different based on the opportunities that are presented to us. Seeking knowledge on the subject of private security is perhaps the starting point, no matter what particular discipline one finds him/herself pursuing. My experience, which combines my exposure as a lawyer, academic, researcher and manager come in handy for what I do in my current position. Most important, my thirst for knowledge on the subject matter has made a considerable number of people world-over recognise my contribution to scholarship on the subject matter.
“To put the cherry on top of the cake, I have a very supportive supervisor, who is the director of PSIRA, Manabela Chauke, whose vision and insights for the authority is forward looking.”
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