Comparing South African security internationally

June 2003 News & Events

Just how good are South Africans at security compared to the rest of the world? With Ifsec having been held recently and a number of people from this country visiting what is probably the best exhibition of security in the world, it is a question most of us probably ask ourselves at one time or another.

Ifsec is unique, however, in that it defines the current benchmark for technology, but not necessarily for the practice of security. The main suppliers from all over the world are showing the latest technology at Ifsec and many of them launch the technologies at the show. These take some time to filter through to the suppliers, installers and then ultimately the clients. Indeed, somebody who comes back and asks their installers about technology seen at Ifsec may well be ahead of the knowledge curve, although you will find representatives of most of the key South African security installers and providers there.

A few years ago when I became more involved in the security industry, my views that the relatively poor pay of security workers and particular guards, high turnover, and lack of training within guarding companies was a uniquely South African problem. It is not, and in fact it is typical of the industry wherever you go. Like some companies in South Africa, some overseas ones market themselves on a higher basis than the typical industry norm and you get very good service providers both here and there. Pay scales also vary, and my initial personal impressions of Australia or Canada are probably that they pay better for security relative to the rest of the workforce. On the other hand, the UK is probably somewhat similar to South Africa.

Dealing with the issues

While we have one of the worst crime rates relative to the world, it also makes us more expert in dealing with it. That probably means both the man (or woman) in the street on the lookout for hijackings, as well as our security specialists. We really believe crime takes place and we have almost everyday experience with it. It is a little like overseas doctors coming to South Africa to be exposed to violent trauma injuries - they can get more experience in three months here than in three years in most places. When I was discussing the extent of crime in a CCTV surveillance training course in Canada two years back, many of the delegates were not really convinced that they would be faced with people stealing in the workplace. Similarly, there is not the same acceptance in Western Australia that people are as likely to steal as we would think. Because we think that much more strongly about it, we tend to take stronger measures, think through things more, and are more active in our strategies to combat crime.

Overseas recognition

There are numerous instances of South African security personnel being recognised and even placed overseas. You will see South African companies and their products being displayed at exhibitions from ASIS to Birmingham to Dubai. South African authors are featured on a fairly regular basis in overseas security magazines, and South African companies are often mentioned and used as case studies. Many security managers are in awe of the number of cameras at some of our sites that can easily range from 600 to 800 cameras. Our casino operators here are, in my and others opinion, the best in the world and there was even a film released recently called 'Croupier' that uses the ex-South African working in London as the star.

I am proud that our Leaderware products to select CCTV operators and X-ray screeners are used widely overseas, with the X-ray product used by all BAA major airports responsible for screening some 60% of international aviation passengers. Our CCTV operator surveillance training course has been done on four continents. An ex-South African, Ken Pearce, from the Borough of High Wycombe recently won the CCTV Manager of the year award at the CCTV User Group conference in Bolton in the UK, and the graciousness of his speech would have made many of us proud. At the same conference a colleague from De Beers and I presented a paper on intelligent security systems, and the delegates were truly amazed at just how far De Beers had gone with this. South Africans seem to be driving security expansion in Africa, with Siemens and Securicor being just two of the companies I am familiar with, successfully operating across several countries including Nigeria, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique.

So it looks like South Africans in security, like many other fields, are pretty good. However, what drives security in different countries and what is emphasised, varies considerably. I have recently had some exposure to the security intelligence community in Australia and was highly impressed by what I saw in terms of the professionalism and approach.

The same CCTV User Group mentioned above and run by Peter Fry is an international resource that has no parallel in this country and has a number of South African members (and probably should have a lot more). At the Bolton conference, they had a representative from government discussing the new requirements for registration of security officers and the training requirements that they would have to undergo. The depth and detail, and the consultation, planning process and timing that the UK has gone into in this regard is something that the South African authorities could seriously learn from. So to, is the way that law and implications for personnel are taught in the UK, although they also struggle to get commitment to training the same way that we often do. The scope and emphasis on procedure and systems in the US appears far more advanced than here, with the evacuation procedures and regular comprehensive fire drills at the World Trade Centre having been seen as a major reason that there were not far more fatalities due to 9/11.

UK aviation security is probably the best in the world and the procedures and guidelines in place across most industries in the UK are usually comprehensive. The British Standards that often drive the development of European standards also provide a strong base for use in South Africa. Many managers in the CCTV area here would have had exposure to the Police Scientific and Development Branch (PSDB) documentation initiated by Jim Aldridge which probably had a greater influence on the practice, standards, and implementation of international CCTV than any literature I have seen since.

Finally, the British Council provided inputs on stadium security last year at a SAFA focus on soccer at the Sandton Convention Centre - it was based on lessons learned from their own experiences and the Ellis Park episode and others demonstrate that we still have much to learn as part of the day to day management of stadium security (Cricket World Cup successes aside).

I would like to say that South Africans are the best in the world at security, but I cannot. We are really good at some things, not so good at others. Perhaps the area that we can learn most from is the extent to which countries like the UK put in guidelines, standards, and embark on a search for common understanding and acceptance of what should be done. This is a key strategy in ensuring that people do not repeat the mistakes of others. It also provides a basis for common discussions between clients, and the security technology providers and installers. We are not the best at that yet, but one of our attributes is we are always willing to learn and seem to be really good at getting things to work.

Dr Craig Donald is an industrial psychologist and specialist in human factors in security and CCTV. He is the co-developer of the Surveillance and Monitoring Assessment Exercise (SAMAE) for the selection and placement of CCTV operators and presenter of the CCTV Surveillance Skills training course. He can be contacted on telephone: 011 787 7811, fax: 011 886 6815, or e-mail: [email protected]





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Managed security solutions for organisations of all sizes
Information Security News & Events
Cyber attackers have become significantly more sophisticated and determined, targeting businesses of all sizes. PwC’s Global Digital Trust Insights Survey 2025 Africa and South Africa highlights the urgent need for organisations to implement robust cyber risk mitigation strategies.

Read more...
From the Editor's desk: The good, the bad, and the victims
Technews Publishing News & Events
When the Internet first arrived, everyone was expecting amazing things from it, well, everyone who knew what it was and how it worked. We had the dotcom boom and bust, and it’s fair to say that if we ...

Read more...
Carrier rebranded Kidde Global Solutions
News & Events Fire & Safety
From July 2025, the former Carrier Fire & Security South Africa will operate under its new name, Kidde Fire & Security South Africa, as part of the global realignment of the commercial and residential fire and security business.

Read more...
Facilities Management Expo brings smart, secure operations to the Cape
Securex South Africa News & Events Facilities & Building Management
As organisations across South Africa navigate the challenges of ageing infrastructure and increased cyber-physical risks, integrated facilities management (FM) solutions have become critical to ensuring operational resilience.

Read more...
Specialised Exhibitions changes name to Montgomery Group Africa
News & Events
This name change reflects the consolidation of Montgomery Group’s regional divisions across Africa under one unified management structure, creating a more agile, efficient, and future-focused organisation.

Read more...
Secure data protection without hardware lock-in
Infrastructure Information Security News & Events
New Veeam Software Appliance empowers IT teams to achieve instant protection with Veeam’s fully preconfigured, software-only appliance, delivering enterprise-ready simplified deployment and operational efficiency, robust cyber resilience.

Read more...
Check Point launches open, vendor-neutral MDR services
Information Security News & Events Products & Solutions
New Check Point MDR 360° and MXDR 360° offerings deliver 24/7 managed continuous threat monitoring protection across endpoints, cloud and network environments with built-in identity threat detection and 160+ integrations across hybrid, multi-vendor environments.

Read more...
Unlock the future of security operations in Bloemfontein
DeepAlert News & Events Surveillance
Security professionals and business leaders are invited to revolutionise their offsite monitoring operations at the DeepAlert Product Road Show, taking place on 16 – 17 September 2025, at the Schoemanspark Golf Club, Bloemfontein.

Read more...
Hytera supports communication upgrade for Joburg
News & Events Infrastructure Government and Parastatal (Industry)
By equipping Johannesburg’s metro police and emergency services with multimode radios which integrate TETRA and LTE networks, Hytera is bridging coverage gaps and improving response times across the city.

Read more...
The global generative AI market surpassed $130 billion in 2024
News & Events AI & Data Analytics
According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm, Berg Insight, the Generative AI (GenAI) market grew substantially in 2024, experiencing triple-digit growth rates in all three major segments: GenAI hardware, foundation models, and development platforms.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.