UNLOCK THE POSSIBILITIES OF PRIMO flexible, feature-rich access control solution Intelligent insights into a high-risk digitally transforming world Issue 5 2023
www.securitysa.com Issue 5 2023 1 VOLUME 29 | ISSUE 5 | 2023 Expanding focus leads to even greater effectiveness Women in Security Sector focus: Retail Facilities management Managed cybersecurity services Security control rooms have already started the trend to become a multi-function service to organisations and their departments. Zulmira Ferraz has a long history in the security industry and is the founder of ElementC, a security technology development company. SMART Security Solutions looks at how security technology is playing its roll in the retail environment. Security technologies play an increasingly important role in facilities management. Cybersecurity is complex and the bad actors seem to hold all the cards. Perhaps managed security services can lighten the load? Editor’s Note.....................................................................2 News & Events................................................................3 Training ...........................................................................27 AI in Security.................................................................32 Impro Technologies Primo Experience the Power of Primo – a flexible, feature-rich access control software platform with integrated functionalities for biometrics and mobile access, designed for seamless integration and enhanced user experience, ensuring security and compliance from day one. Delivered to provide intuitive, user-friendly and simple installation systems. UNLOCK THE POSSIBILITIES OF PRIMO flexible, feature-rich access control solution Intelligent insights into a high-risk digitally transforming world Issue 5 2023 12 REGULARS FEATURES OUR COVER 08 10 14 24 28
2 Issue 5 2023 www.securitysa.com Andrew LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor should be addressed to Andrew Seldon at [email protected]. Sending material to this publication will be considered automatic permission to use in full or in part in our Letters column. Be sure to include your name, e-mail address, city and postal code. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Disclaimer 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, inserts and company contact details areprinted as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing(Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Reg No. 2005/034598/07 Editor Andrew Seldon: [email protected] Contributor Dr Craig Donald Lesley-Anne Kleyn Advertising sales Tracy Wolter: [email protected] Heidi Hargreaves: [email protected] Subscription Services For address changes, orders, renewal status or missing issues, e-mail: [email protected] Design and layout: Technews Production Department Published by Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd Wild Fig Business Park, Block B, Unit 21, 1494 Cranberry Street, Honeydew Tel: +27 11 543 5800 ISSN 1562-952X Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za SMART SECURITY SOLUTIONS ISSUE 5 2023 FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK We live in a country with, at best, an unemployment rate sitting above 30%. At the same time, we continually hear about companies struggling to find skills or that are unhappy with the people they hire. Then, if you look at it from the other side of the coin, you often hear of companies wanting to fill a supposedly ‘entry-level position’, while requiring five or more years’ experience – or something to that effect. This seems illogical when you look at it as presented above. However, we often find companies opting to get rid of older people who have worked long enough to get a decent salary, exploit the economic failure South Africa is, and pay the least possible while expecting the most. As can be expected, the Americans have a name for the result, ‘quiet quitting’. Knowing they are simply resources that are exploited, a large number of employees engage in quiet quitting. This means they show up and do their job, but they do the absolute minimum. Why go the extra mile, they ask, when it’s not appreciated and you are not respected as a person? This is when one often hears the ‘it’s not my job’ response to asking people to do something not specifically stipulated in their contract. Then the bosses get angry because ‘this young generation doesn’t know how to work’, and the quiet quitting continues or even Both sides of the coin intensifies. Pretty pictures on the walls with vision statements and nauseating words telling people how valuable they are doesn’t change the situation. What is required is a different approach. Of course, we all know the abysmal state of the South Africa economy, which is probably going to get worse with the current crowd in charge playing revolution instead of keeping on good terms with one of the country’s most important trading partners. Perhaps this is where the almost endless supply of security associations need to actually do something useful. I am aware that there are a few associations that actually are useful and work for the industry, but it is sadly not the norm. Why do the associations not set up internships in collaboration with companies? The association could send someone with potential on a course, followed by an internship and mentoring at a company for a few months. If the person proves their potential, the association could send them on another course, followed by another internship and so on. The association could actually put its money to good use (although we all love the lunches and annual get togethers) and pay for vetting and training. Given the horrible state of the state’s basic education, these interns may have to start at the bottom and be trained and mentored up the ladder, but if a few young people are able to learn and find their footing in the industry each year, it will make a difference in the long run. But here we go back to the beginning of this short comment and have to talk about how the interns are treated and paid. If a beginner gets a beginner’s wage, that’s fair. But after a year or two or three, will they get a fair salary, or will they be exploited because state corruption and incompetence makes it so easy?
www.securitysa.com Issue 5 2023 3 NEWS & EVENTS ERSBio and Suprema recently announced the integration of Suprema BioStar 2 into the ERSBio Time and Attendance software module. This integration gives Suprema clients access to the advanced Time and Attendance features offered by ERSBio. The Enforcer Module from ERSBio eliminates manual processes, allowing for easy exception management. It integrates with all major payroll platforms, automatically updating clocking information and saving companies countless hours each month in fixing inaccurate data or errors. The integration also means that current Suprema BioStar 2 users can now add ERSBio’s Time and Attendance to their existing access control platform. This allows them to benefit from localised pay rules and payroll system integration, as well as a finger-to-payslip solution. Henk Potgieter, CEO of ERSBio said, “We are delighted to be able to offer our customers Olarm LINK extends the Olarm PRO communicators smart control with additional sensing and control, allowing multiple users to control a wide range of devices, including gate access, garage motors, boom gates, water pumps and more. The Olarm LINK significantly broadens the scope of what the Olarm PRO 4G smart communicator can connect to by enabling the transformation of everyday objects into valuable smart devices with two-way app functionality with real-time status and control. Olarm LINK, with its Smart AI technology, integrates with approved gates and devices to show intelligent real-time status. Olarm LINK enables monitoring and alarm signal-receiving centres to improve their product offerings and allows audited remote unlock facilities for responders. Technicians can easily connect the device to gates, garage doors, gates, lights, pumps, and so much more. All are connected to the Olarm APP for their customers, a huge selling point for them. For more information, contact Olarm, +27 21 009 0911, [email protected], www.olarm.com/link Over the past 36 months, there has been significant volatility across markets and sectors worldwide. In response to these market fluctuations, cash has become an increasingly important payment instrument. It is evident that money, and the processes involved in effectively managing it in the industry, require a fresh approach. As part of G4S’s vision for Cash2030, the company reimagined South Africa’s end-to-end cash ecosystem and embarked on a restructure of the G4S cash landscape within the country. Christo Terblanche, President of Deposita International, will head up a unified South African structure, consisting of both Deposita and G4S Cash from July 2023. Terblanche has more than two decades of experience Personnel changes at G4S and Deposita Suprema integrates with ERSBio Time and Attendance an even better experience through this integration with Suprema BioStar 2. Our focus has always been on providing our customers with the best possible solutions for their needs, and this partnership will help us do just that.” Walter Rautenbach, Managing Director of Suprema added, “We are excited about partnering with ERSBio to give our clients access to their advanced Time and Attendance features. This partnership offers a comprehensive solution for any business looking for an effective Time and Attendance system.” Together, ERSBio and Suprema aim to provide a comprehensive solution that helps businesses optimise their human resource management tasks while still focusing on core business functions. For more information, contact Suprema, +27 11 784 3952, [email protected], www.suprema.co.za successfully developing and deploying cash, treasury and payment solutions in Africa, Europe and Asia. He has an unrivalled understanding of our operations and customers across South Africa. Terblanche will be based in Johannesburg reporting to Mel Brooks, Regional CEO G4S Africa & Middle East, G4S. “We want to build a scalable digitally led business by providing a platform that will deliver cost effective and innovative transactional propositions to benefit our customers.” says Brooks. At the same time, Sidalan Moodley has been appointed as the Managing Director – Deposita South Africa, reporting to Christo Terblanche, now the President of Deposita International and Cash Solutions South Africa. Moodley has been with Deposita for the past 17 years and has gained valuable insight and experience in the management, development, and deployment of end-to-end cash management solutions within multiple sectors across the globe, ranging from retail, wholesale and banking. He has an in-depth knowledge of the Deposita business and a deep understanding of global market trends within the complex cash and payments landscape, which places Deposita favourably to take advantage of ever changing and innovative industry developments. For more information, contact Deposita, +27 11 729 3300, [email protected], www.deposita.co.za Olarm launches Olarm LINK
4 Issue 5 2023 www.securitysa.com NEWS & EVENTS Record number of visitors attend Securex South Africa 2023 The turnout at Securex South Africa, held from 6 to 8 June 2023, was staggering, with a record number of 6401 Securex visitors crossing the threshold at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand. In addition, the combined number of visitors to Securex South Africa and the co-located A-OSH EXPO, Facilities Management Expo, and Firexpo, also reached a record high – with 11 465 people visiting the expos over the three days. “Securex South Africa lived up to its reputation as being the largest and most comprehensive platform for security offerings on the continent, with the feedback received from both visitors and exhibitors reinforcing its popularity,” says Mark Anderson, Portfolio Director at Specialised Exhibitions – a division of Montgomery Group. “This is our fourth time at Securex and we feel it is essential for us to be here as the return on investment is fantastic. We have had excellent quality visitors on our stand, including several people from the SANDF and two large retailers who have shown great interest in our products. Securex is undoubtedly the top event for high-tech security technology. We are hoping to secure successful contracts like we did in 2022, one of which was an anti-poaching project securing 75 000 Ha. Subsequently, there have been no rhinos poached in this area. Finally, I would like to encourage women to become involved in the security sector, they have so much to offer,” stated Colin Glaeser, Axxonsoft. “This is our 15th time at Securex, and I was very pleased with not only how busy the show was this year, but more so about the high quality of visitors at our stand. We find that people came to see our offerings last year, then returned this year, after discovering the true capabilities and abilities of our solutions, with the sole intention of buying the products. On the first day alone, we had 50 solid leads. We had a great response to our new doorbell, which when combined with a face recognition NVR, increases security by knowing who is at your door,” said Clyde Elhadad from Provision ISR. On-show features In addition to exhibitor products and services, Securex South Africa also included several visitor attractions. The Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) were held in the Securex Seminar Theatre (powered by UNISA) on 7 June. The following awards were made: • Outstanding Security Installer/Integrator – Olarm. • Outstanding New Security Product – CathexisVision Carbon – Cathexis Technologies. • Outstanding Security Equipment Manufacturer – Paxton. According to the OSPAs South Africa judging panel, “The 2023 South Africa OSPA winners were selected from a pool of exceptional nominees, representing diverse sectors of the security industry. These winners have demonstrated exemplary commitment, innovation, and excellence in their respective categories. The South Africa OSPAs would like to express gratitude to Securex South Africa for their collaboration in hosting the awards ceremony, as well as their continued support in recognising excellence within the security industry.” The SAIDSA Techman competition, held on 6 June, once again attracted some of the industry’s most talented certified technicians, who competed to wire up an alarm circuit board in the fastest time (with the highest level of accuracy). The winner was Anesh Randayal from Blue Security, second place went to Keeren Ruiters, also from Blue Security, and third place was awarded to Jean Janse Van Rensburg from CSS Security. SAIDSA and ESDA held a breakfast function on 7 June, with a welcome from SAIDSA’s Johan Krogh. The event ended with a lively session by well-known comedian Barry Hilton. ESDA’s Xarion Comoretto outlined two projects being instituted by ESDA: • A podcast that covers an objective interview with an ESDA member where relevant topics, proposed by the member, are discussed recorded and published online. • An online portal that registers distributors and installers, allowing an online lookup to ensure that the installer has been ratified by the manufacturer to install the product. The end user would be encouraged to leave reviews on the installer and installation. The K9 Law Enforcement Demonstration, held in the Link Node, was a huge drawcard, with visitors and exhibitors alike entranced by the skills of the Totan Aviation K9 animals. In a similar vein, the Drone Demonstration Zone, hosted by African Drone Kings, held the audience captive with regular displays of the prowess of the drones and their operators. In the Securex Seminar, powered by UNISA, visitors were regaled by 19 knowledgeable speakers who tackled a number of thorny issues and provided solutions to various industry challenges. The diversity and scope of the sessions was large and the feedback received from the visitors was positive. “We would like to say a special thanks to our industry partners, sponsors and media partners. Endorsement by leading industry professional bodies like SAIDSA, ESDA, FPASA, PSiRA, SASA, the National Bargaining “I was exploring new business opportunities in the security industry and made great connections at Securex South Africa.” – Peterjoy Maponyane, Samambu Funeral Group. Continued on page 6
6 Issue 5 2023 www.securitysa.com NEWS & EVENTS Continued from page 5 Mark Anderson. Council for the Private Security Sector, and ISS lends great credibility to the expo, allowing not only current members of these associations to benefit from the relationship, but furthermore, for prospective members to engage on the exhibition floor with the industry bodies,” says Anderson. This year’s events were so successful that the organisers have extended the floorspace into Hall 4 (the expos are currently in Halls 2 and 3), to accommodate the demand from exhibitors, at the 2024 four co-located shows, being held at Gallagher Convention Centre from 28 to 30 May 2024. Wialon reaches 3,6 million fleet assets At Securex, Wialon, the global fleet management platform created by European software developer Gurtam, announced it has reached a record number of 3,6 million fleet vehicles and assets connected on the platform worldwide, including 34 000 in South Africa. Wialon provides software solutions for fleet management and security, via over 2400 partner companies in over 150 countries. In South Africa, Wialon works with almost 90 partner companies, who provide fleet management services to thousands of businesses in diverse sectors such as cargo shipping, delivery services, security personnel, long-haul transportation, cold chain transportation and agribusinesses. The fleet management market in South Africa is on an upward trajectory, with a forecasted CAGR of 12,6 percent. This means the number of active fleet management systems deployed in commercial vehicle fleets in South Africa, which reached an estimated 2 million in Q4 2021, is predicted to grow to about 3,6 million by 2026. Aliaksandr Kuushynau, Head of Wialon, who attended Securex to meet with South African partners and clients, states, “There is growing interest in fleet management in Africa, and a marked increase in the adoption of telematics, the use of electric vehicles, and in the emphasis on safety and data analytics, reflecting the continent’s focus on efficiency and sustainability. However, it is also important to acknowledge the security challenges that the region faces. Theft, hijacking, and vehicle vandalism are serious issues that can have a significant impact on businesses and the local economy. As a result, fleet managers need to adopt security measures to protect their assets and employees.” Wialon provides a range of solutions for security in fleet management, helping businesses in Africa protect their vehicles and other assets. The platform’s GPS tracking and geofencing technology, combined with remote vehicle disabling, and the option to integrate security technologies, enables fleet managers to monitor their vehicles in real time and respond quickly to safety and security incidents. Joining Wialon at Securex, Carla Greyling, Sales Executive at Tracking Africa, Wialon’s South African partner, commented on the benefits of fleet management software and telematics technology for South African companies. “The top priorities in fleet management in South Africa centre on safety and security of vehicles, goods and drivers (including stolen vehicle recovery), video surveillance, fuel control and asset tracking. Features such as driver identification, panic buttons, remote engine blocking and real time location monitoring have seen high growth in the demand and adoption rate for businesses in South Africa.” A-OSH EXPO 2023 As Africa’s largest platform for occupational safety and health (OSH) products and services, A-OSH EXPO 2023 proved that it is popular with the market, with a record number of 4 005 industry professionals attending. “We’ve been exhibiting at A-OSH EXPO for the past 11 years as we believe it’s important to expose people to the products that will maximise their protection in the workplace. We had high quality visitors coming through our stand. This year we focused on our mask filters and gas detection range,” said Sagaran Chetty of Draëger. “This was our first time exhibiting at A-OSH EXPO. As a Belgian manufacturer, we are actively looking for resellers in South Africa and saw A-OSH EXPO as the perfect platform to launch our products into the country. All the visitors to our stand were very enthusiastic, and I can only say positive things about the event. We will definitely be back next year,” said Wim Vanderschueren from Safety Jogger. Opportunities to learn In addition to the OSH products and services on display by the 86 local and international exhibitors, A-OSH EXPO featured two freeto-attend seminar theatres – the Saiosh Seminar Theatre, and the Working at Height and Safety Seminar Theatre (powered by SafetyCloud) – together with the Saiosh Health & Safety Conference. “We welcomed SafetyCloud as the sponsor of the Working at Height and Safety Seminar Theatre this year. Formed 72 years ago, SafetyCloud (previously known as NOSA) remains the industry leader in occupational health, safety, and environmental training. The organisation has helped over 20 000 businesses to build their safety cultures and create healthy, happy work environments,” says Anderson. “Both of the free-to-attend seminar theatres were packed to capacity over the three days of the expo, and Saiosh CEO, Neels Nortjé reported that the Saiosh Conference was oversubscribed, with extra chairs being brought into the venue to accommodate the additional delegates. This is a clear indication that there is an enormous hunger from industry for high quality and informative content.” The Saiosh Conference shared critical information on the sector, with many high profile speakers captivating the audience. Dr Sanjay Munnoo, Chief Business Development Officer, Federated Employers Mutual Assurance and Saisosh President, addressed the impact of occupational injuries. “Injuries that occur in the workplace “Securex was top-notch. I was very, very impressed with the firefighting presentation.” – Pride Moeketsi, Department of Correctional Services.
www.securitysa.com Issue 5 2023 7 have a devastating effect on the individual and their families in terms of having to care for the injured person afterwards, i.e. bedsores, stepdown facilities, and mental health. Construction is three to six times more dangerous than a normal working environment, and since 2000 there have been 1639 fatalities in construction, which equates to an average of 71 per year. In addition, there were 54 900 construction site injuries between 2015-2021, attracting medical costs of over R1 billion,” says Munnoo. An interesting talk by Nicolette Visser, Chief Wellness Coordinator (Wellness Guru) Reality Wellness Group, on mental health in the construction industry unpacked that 27% of South Africans deal with severe mental disorders and receive treatment for it. She shared some practical tips for employers to help employees to cope, including: • Become aware – do a mental and physical check-in with your employees and teams. • Identify the problem and note the triggers. • Create a self-care plan for employees and schedule the plan as part of their daily routine. • Have a digital detox. • Maintain a good work and life balance – set boundaries – add family time into day-to-day routines. “The feedback we received from our visitors and exhibitors was unanimously in favour of the continued co-location of A-OSH EXPO with Securex South Africa, Facilities Management Expo, and Firexpo. This allows visitors to not only source a wide range of safety solutions from the A-OSH EXPO exhibitors, but furthermore to find products and services in the security, facilities management, and fire detection/ management sectors,” says Anderson. “We would be remiss not to mention the invaluable support from our sponsors and industry partners, which included Dromex, Pinnacle Welding, Saiosh, and SafetyCloud, FFETA, FPASA, SAQCC Fire, and SAPEMA.” Firexpo 2023 Firexpo celebrated its second birthday and visitor numbers increased by 200 people at this year’s event, as did the number of exhibitors. The Firexpo exhibitors were very happy with the quality of visitors attending. “We have 12 Securex/Firexpo exhibitions under our belt. We had visitors from the DRC, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania who are proactively sourcing solutions for their future needs. A huge shout out to Specialised Exhibitions for the effort put into marketing and organising the expo – the “I was blown away by the whole show. It was huge. Everything I needed I found here.” – Jonas Ngobeni, Alfaomega Security. success was apparent in the large number of high quality visitors,” said Frikkie Stroh, Safequip. “We are previous Securex exhibitors but haven’t been on the show for a few years. However, this year we joined forces with our supplier Carrier Fire and Security South Africa (rebranding as Kidde Commercial), and taking a stand at Firexpo was the best decision we could have made. Our stand was extremely busy and we saw a mixture of end users, insurance companies, installers, and representatives from government departments including the Department of Correctional Services. We were satisfied with the co-location of Firexpo with Securex, A-OSH EXPO, and Facilities Management Expo, it is the ideal mix and brings in potential customers from all our target markets,” said Nichola Allen, G2 Fire. “The success of Firexpo can be attributed to several stakeholders – our exhibitors, the visitors seeking fire safety solutions, the industry bodies we have partnered with, our sponsors, and our media partners,” says Anderson. Organisations wishing to exhibit at Securex South Africa 2024 or the other shows can contact Zelda Jordaan on [email protected] to book a space or capitalise on a sponsorship opportunity. See some of the Securex South Africa 2023 highlights https://youtu.be/vQT3ULRl4I4 NEWS & EVENTS
8 Issue 5 2023 www.securitysa.com OPINION In one of the high-value sites I did some work at, the person who was most effective at detection of incidents using CCTV was the Production Manager. He had a monitor installed on his desk, and he would monitor the plant out of the corner of his eye while he was engaged in his normal duties in his Dr Craig Donald is a human factors specialist in security and CCTV. He is a director of Leaderware which provides instruments for the selection of CCTV operators, X-ray screeners and other security personnel in major operations around the world. He also runs CCTV Surveillance Skills and Body Language, and Advanced Surveillance Body Language courses for CCTV operators, supervisors and managers internationally, and consults on CCTV management. He can be contacted on +27 11 787 7811 or [email protected] Expanding focus leads to even greater effectiveness By Dr Craig Donald. Expanding stakeholder involvement for greater control room surveillance effectiveness. office. He had a better detection rate than the contracted security CCTV control room personnel who unfortunately had never received proper training. The control room operators also happened to have a supervisor who had never worked with CCTV in a control room before, and who also had very little experience in guiding the focus of the control room and its staff. This partly explains why the Production Manager was so much more effective. I’ve discussed in a recent article the importance of the frame of reference that a person brings to bear when they are observing CCTV, and how this assists them in detection of contraventions and anomalies. Using his frame of reference, the contribution that the Production Manager brought to the monitoring was a clear knowledge of procedures, operational processes, and normal working modes that enabled him to home in on issues that were of concern at least, and an incident at worst. CCTV control rooms have traditionally been the domain of security. However, I remember as far back as twenty years ago doing training at a site where the senior manager responsible for security actually had the safety and security portfolio. We are understandably increasingly seeing safety becoming an integral focus in nearly all control rooms and it’s becoming part of the essential duties within a control room. A greater emphasis on the management of compliance in organisations is also driving a lot of control room activity. More than security Monitoring processes or conditions that impact corporate risk, financial transactions, environmental awareness, and public relations form a number of other compliance concerns that would benefit from use of cameras in monitoring. I’ve heard talk more recently about how security could form part of the facilities management function rather than a stand-alone department. However, I’ve seen the potential use of cameras in production also for some years, where managers responsible for production and operations, can monitor anything from service delivery, queues, breakdowns, spillages, and process flow interruptions. I was talking recently to a security technical manager who was describing how a manager responsible for pit mining operations had requested a camera to monitor the pit area and had spotted contractor violations in the mining process that could have a major bottom-line impact to the company income. Consistent with all of these different objectives or desires of these stakeholders is the concept of surveillance and monitoring. The security control room provides a potential platform to facilitate a range of parties being able to see the things relevant to them. From a security point of view, the more people doing surveillance and the more they know what they are looking for, the less scope and working space there is for criminals, or other kinds of offenders, to violate rules and commit an incident.
www.securitysa.com Issue 5 2023 9 OPINION A couple of years ago I did training for one of the major casinos in the country, and along with surveillance staff, we had representatives of casino operations and food and beverage departments. The observation skills, crime behaviour analysis and detection insights were seen as hugely beneficial to all of these line management personnel, as well as providing them with an enjoyable and eye-opening experience they could take back into their operations. This broader monitoring of environments by more people enhances the whole risk management within the organisation, and also pushes some of the responsibility for surveillance and incident detection back into the operational management and other departments. Everyone is involved Secure environments also depend on awareness and information from all members of those environments, whether in communities or organisations. The UK Government, for instance, pushes the Stay Safe principles of ‘Run, Hide, and Tell’ in response to any perceived terrorist threat. If we broaden to security awareness briefings sometimes held within organisations, members from all departments are typically trained to recognise potential threats, particularly those involved in environments where terrorism represents a particular danger. In many locations, staff who are in a service capacity can provide information and warnings of security issues. Cleaning staff who often cover extensive areas can be a great source of on-the-ground information and provide information which can serve as an early warning, or can be used as a basis for follow up. Reception personnel, and serving staff at restaurants, canteens and pubs hear and see unusual behaviour that could be a cause of concern. This type of incoming information from a broad-based range of citizens or organisational members is a prime source of intelligence for security and control rooms. It greatly enhances the potential of the control room to get early warning signals, to identify potential targets, and to enhance situational awareness. One of the immediate concerns that security has when asked to disclose camera views to others, is that it allows potential criminals to work out camera coverage so they can plan around it. This could be a valid concern, and if you don’t want to have people knowing some camera views, access can be defined on a need-to-know basis. Also, it doesn’t have to be all camera views that are accessible to the different stakeholders. Indeed, we could put cameras into areas specifically to identify people trying to avoid detection from known cameras. Alternatively, their behaviour in going around areas outside of the ‘standard’ camera view can raise red flags. The other major issue may be one of privacy, and you don’t want people to think that their every movement may be monitored or that they may be ‘stalked’ on camera by someone they don’t know is looking. Again, access rights and responsibilities would be a fundamental part of setting up greater stakeholder surveillance privileges. Security audits and checks of how cameras are used could also be an element of this, and there should be a policy and focus on the purpose of the cameras and responsible usage. Multifunctional services Security control rooms have already started the trend to become a multiple function service to organisations and their departments. In line with this, they are diversifying and increasing their sources of information and depth of risk assessment. Control rooms are going to be become integration points for both internal departments and information, as well as linking to AI sources such as big data and things like face recognition. Does this mean their potential loss of essential purpose as a security function and protector? We are moving into increasingly threatening environments and more sophisticated criminal strategies. These pose risks to the whole organisation and its workforce. Positioning security under facility administration functions or compliance, risks undermining an essential threat evaluation and management strategy, as well as a response capacity that should be emphasised even more in future. However, security is going to have to move increasingly to being a service provider and coordinator of surveillance for a number of stakeholders. Expanded functions also means help with budgets from new internal clients, which could be a joy to many security managers going forward. The changes are going to call for more professional capabilities of both security management and control room operations, but have the capacity to make security more important and relevant in the future.
10 Issue 5 2023 www.securitysa.com COVER STORY WOMEN IN SECURITY By Lesley-Anne Kleyn. In this issue we profile Zulmira Ferraz, Founder and Managing Director of ElementC, a security technology development company that provides clients with synergetic technologies solutions to streamline processes and secure their sites. Zulmira grew up in what she describes as a typical Portuguese immigrant family. “We are close-knit, industrious, and proud.” Both she and her sister were raised to be independent, learning how to fix the VHS machine, change tyres, and tinker with tools to keep themselves occupied after school. She feels this imparted in her a sense of selfassurance from an early age. After graduating from Riebeek College Girls High in Uitenhage and deciding to pursue a BSc in physiology and biochemistry, Zulmira realised that she did not want to spend the rest of her life working in a laboratory. She secured a position in administration and telesales at CTU, where Milestone Systems’ George Psoulis happened also to be a member of the team. When George moved into the physical security industry, Zulmira received an offer to become a software support technician in access control at his new company. That company turned out to be Impro Systems, headed up at the time by John Powell, a stalwart of the security industry. ‘’Even though I knew absolutely nothing about access control and Google was not as smart back then as it is today’’, she chuckles. A year later, Impro Systems was sold to Blick Systems, which then became Stanley Security Solutions, and Zulmira was promoted to systems support, and then to the projects team as a project controller, administering all aspects of installation projects. She was also offered From physiology to security technology Zulmira Ferraz has a long history in the security industry and is the founder of ElementC, a security technology development company. the opportunity to complete her Diploma in Project Management through the University of Stellenbosch Business School, which she accomplished cum laude. Shortly after that, she was awarded the Outstanding Employee award. In fact, she won the award twice during her tenure. Eventually her former employer, John Powell, founded Powell Tronics, and Zulmira joined the business. Her position required her to don two hats; one as Technical Manager in charge of a nationwide team of support technicians, and the other as Development Team Leader based in Cape Town. As a hands-on leader, Zulmira frequently visited customer sites armed with a screwdriver. She says with a smile, “I am essentially a support technician at heart.” Then came 2020 South Africa was already a troubled nation by the end of 2019 with its expanded definition of unemployment, which includes ‘discouraged workers’, placing the country’s unemployment rate at 47% (Stats SA, 2020), with some provinces significantly exceeding this figure. Nevertheless, despite the gloomy forecast, Zulmira had often contemplated abandoning the consistency of her steady income, to venture out on her own. Hence, as South Africa went into lockdown in 2020, Zulmira used the occasion to reflect on her career in depth. Restricted to the Cape Town region, she found it challenging to feel so cut off from her teams, as well as from her family in the Eastern Cape, and she, like many others, struggled with uncertainty regarding the future. She reflects, “It was difficult to ignore how stressed various industries were, during that period, and to top it off, my company was undergoing significant internal changes. There was simply so much occurring that year.” Hence, the minute the provincial borders re-opened, Zulmira travelled to the Eastern Cape to her family home for a short holiday. At the family dinner table, she made the decision to start her own enterprise. It had been in the works for some time, but that evening, everything fell into place. “It was 9:35 pm, I was on my second glass of wine, and something clicked,” she says with a wry chuckle. Three days later, she registered a company, and one week later, she resigned. With the country still in the midst of a global pandemic, ElementC opened for business on November 1, 2020, with the backing of Acorn Black Investments, a woman-owned South African private equity investment firm that enables ElementC to operate as a Level 1 B-BBEE Contributor. Sticky stuff Zulmira was initially hesitant to compete with Powell Tronics and her former team, so ElementC began by providing only high level consulting services. Soon, however, former customers began requesting custom software development. Francois de Wit, an experienced security technologies technician, turned self-taught software developer, joined ElementC to assist in the expansion of its software integration division. Chris Horn joined the team shortly thereafter, bringing with him expertise in both security solution architecture and software development. The company creates what Zulmira refers to as ‘sticky stuff’. “Clients frequently need to combine the best features of various technologies in the market and also streamline their
www.securitysa.com Issue 5 2023 11 specific operations, but the latter capability is typically not available with standard functionalities. This is our strength; being able to combine multiple solutions into functional and seamlessly integrated technology solutions that bridge risk and operational gaps across multiple industries and sectors.” Confidence and expertise pave the way We chat a little about her experiences as a woman in the security sector and Zulmira tells me that she has not personally encountered negativity. She counts herself fortunate to have been involved with teams of supportive and respectful male colleagues who have considered her their equal yet have also acknowledged her gender in the most positive manner. She cites an example from her Powell Tronics days, “Contractors respected me in my role as one of them, yet they still never left me on a site in the late evenings as a woman on my own. I loved that balance.” When she works on projects that include people who may not yet know who she is, she has found that male colleagues can sometimes be hesitant to fully acknowledge her role initially. However, this technical dynamo soon gains respect with her confidence and obvious expertise in her field. Zulmira does not underestimate the fact that she is a woman operating in a predominately male oriented industry, but she feels that she can hold her own by respecting the roles regardless of gender, and by ensuring that her knowledge and skill speak for themselves. She also feels that the dynamics for women in the industry have significantly improved in the past several years, which she finds encouraging. Zulmira loves the camaraderie that the security sector provides. “Our industry is very small and you’ll inevitably run into someone you know. We may all find ourselves competing in the boardroom, but we can easily socialise outside of it,” she says. She is also continually enthused about the fact that security technologies keep evolving. “Just when you think you’re on top of it, there is more to learn.” Passion and integrity Zulmira feels that her strengths in the industry are her practical understanding of security technologies together with her understanding of the custom software that can be added to those. “Many software houses do not understand security access control, and many security houses do not understand software. Essentially, ElementC forms an important bridge.” She points out that the industry is now more IT driven than it was in the past, and that IT is streamlining and automating access and egress continually. She has learned to pay attention to what clients want and discern their real needs. “In the security industry, it is essential to manage client expectations, to not oversell, and to promptly address any issues that arise.” Zulmira’s passion for her clients is palpable, and she takes great pride in her ability to translate client visions into a workable solutions. Also, integrity cannot be compromised. “This is a small industry where word travels quickly, and some service providers are still struggling to sustain steady business. Integrity is everything to us.” Zulmira has come across several dynamic women working within the security sector and she specifically mentions Leonie Mangold, Business Development Manager at G4S Secure Solutions, and Sandy Hill, Group Sales Director at Vizual Multi Service Group. She enthuses that both women are exceptional at what they do, and go above and beyond to meet the requirements of their customers in their own unique ways. She also makes mention of the many, many ladies working in back offices of security companies throughout the country. “In this industry, everybody knows the superstars in sales or the technical divisions, but few know the ladies making it all happen, behind the scenes.” Maddie Humphris, a member of the security management team for the C. Steinweg Group (an ElementC client), is another one of these remarkable women. The group provides storage, handling, forwarding, and other logistics services in strategic locations around the globe, including Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, where Maddie is based. “That lovely lady has the patience of a saint,” says Zulmira. “She manages the access control system on site and deals with truck drivers and workers at a container depot all day, and the men really respect her. She is authoritative, but with the friendliest attitude, and never pushy or abrasive.” In closing, I ask Zulmira how she would motivate more women to pursue careers in the security industry. Her reply is insightful. “I would encourage security service providers to train their own guards for technical careers. I believe that many exceptional individuals, particularly security officers, are sometimes overlooked. They are typically tech-savvy, competent, and inquisitive. A hand up is all that is required for many. I frequently recommend to security officers that they request job shadowing opportunities within the technical division. Officers, including female officers, are intrigued by what I do onsite. They are always interested in my background and how I attained my current position. “Technology is a field with so much potential. There is considerable scope.” For more information contact: • Zulmira Ferraz, [email protected], www.elementc.net • Leonie Mangold, [email protected] • Sandy Hill, [email protected] Lesley-Anne Kleyn is a consultant working across a range of sectors, assisting clients to build their businesses into profitable, impactful and enduring entities. With many clients in the security services sector too, she is a member of the board of ASIS International, heading up Women in Security. To join the conversation, contact her on +27 64 410 8563, or reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleyannekleyn Zulmira Ferraz. WOMEN IN SECURITY
12 Issue 5 2023 www.securitysa.com SECTOR FOCUS: INDUSTRIAL Following its acquisition by ASSA ABLOY in 2016, Impro has maintained its independence and has been able to grow its market share internationally while being recognised as one of the leading access control brands globally. Over the past year or two, the company has consolidated its international experience as well as the knowledge gained from ASSA ABLOY’s century-old operation and is set to launch its latest generation of access control products. Raffael Beires, Impro’s Product and Strategy Director, says the past years have seen significant investment in Impro’s R&D and development team, covering all aspects of the business’s operations: software, hardware, firmware, electronics and manufacturing. In fact, these departments have grown by over 30% in the last 12 months alone. The development of the latest generation of solutions was driven by the aftermath of the COVID period, when organisations were keen to move to newer, but still reliable contactless access control systems. In some countries this meant facial recognition, but in places like the EU where privacy laws are strictly enforced, mobile technologies are increasingly being used to manage access to property and assets. “Impro has a responsibility to its clients to move with market demands and provide the access systems clients require,” says Beires. “Our firstgeneration was the IXP range, thousands of which are still in use after two decades, while Access Portal was our second generation, initially released about 10 years ago. Impro Technologies Primo is our latest generation of access technology.” Feature-rich Primo Meeting the requirements of access control customers today, Primo has been designed to be a flexible, feature-rich platform with built-in functionality customers have come to rely on. Beires says it has been designed for multiple use cases, whether clients want to manage access via tag, card, biometrics or mobile devices. This also means it has been designed with integration in mind. Impro’s development team adopted what is known as a ‘scaled-agile’ development methodology, which sees the team breaking its goals down into 3-month detailed plans, which are further divided into 2-week ‘sprints’. This has allowed the company to develop the system at a granular level, making sure everything works together and everyone is focused on achieving the same goal, and that Primo is flexible enough for any future enhancements, additions or integrations. The first release of Primo is designed for on-premises access control for companies managing up to 100 doors. The plan for future releases includes Impro takes the lead with Impro Technologies Primo A leading South African company in the access control space for over three decades, Impro Technologies has once again set the bar high as it rolls out its latest generation of innovation. larger installations as well as a cloud or a hybrid approach to managing access. One of the key areas Impro has focused on for Primo is the user experience (UX). The company worked with an UX Designer for 12 months and included input from various departments in the organisation, from technical support to HR and even Training Specialists. The idea, according to Beires, was to make sure everyone benefited from the data collected by the access system and could easily draw reports and obtain business intelligence relevant to their requirements. It’s also worth noting that security has been built-in from the ground up. Whether it’s the firmware, storage, software stack or data in transit, the data is encrypted and secured throughout the access control lifecycle. Impro has included the Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) as standard to improve the security of data communications as well as interoperability with access control and other security products. Whether it’s GDPR or PoPIA, customers can rest easy that the platform is compliant. Existing integrations Primo will hit the market with two popular biometric brands already integrated into the platform, IDEMIA and Control iD. For companies looking for mobile access solutions, HID’s Mobile Access platform is also part of the initial rollout. These integrations are based on customer requirements and market demand, as well as Impro’s long-term relationships with these brands. However, Impro already has its eye on many more integration projects, both for biometric and mobile device access control, including integrations into ASSA ABLOY’s range of products. “It’s all about customer choice,” states Beires. Primo is a web based platform, so it can be accessed from almost any device. Ease of use was also a key factor in the development cycle, making it as simple as possible for installers to install and configure the system and get it running as quickly as possible with as few complications as possible. The new architecture of Primo will also allow for regular updates and enhancements every three months, allowing the product to adapt as customer requirements change. Primo is currently in the final phases of user testing and will be released to market in July 2023. For more information, contact Impro Technologies, +27 31 717 0700, [email protected], www.impro.net COVER STORY
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