Wolves in wolves’ clothing: SA security guards get police authority

I hugely welcome the decision to start giving security guards in Jo’burg the same status as police officers.

If I was still living in South Africa I would be enormously relieved. The police force is hopelessly inadequate. This is not to say that many of the men in blue are not fine officers; they simply cannot keep up with the crime rate.

Before I left SA nearly five years ago, everybody I knew and knew of, had been affected by the crime. They had all been either hijacked, mugged, robbed, shot at, or had had their car window smashed at stop signs and told to hand over their cash. At the very least they had had their homes cleaned out while they were conveniently at work. One friend had his home burgled five times in four months. There was no way in hell the cops could keep up.

And it seems to have become worse, from where I look in Shanghai, with eyes that are slowly slanting more every day.

Joe was the security guard in our security complex in Sandton. He was a wonderful, amiable chap and took his job seriously. He roamed the complex like a German shepherd. In his off time he loved reading. He particularly enjoyed Wilbur Smith and I would pick up second-hand copies of the Courtney saga or whatever and give them to him, along with an old dictionary I had.

But Joe was also inadequate for the job. He had no real authority, no real weapons other than a club and no proper training.

Guys like Joe must welcome the fact Chubb or ADT personnel can be there within minutes – and those guys do get there in minutes – they are very professional and passionate about their job. Now they can arrive with the same authority as the police.

If Joe can be trained and equipped like a proper policeman he will feel safer, knowing he is better able to do his job, and the residents in that complex will be safer.

When I lived in South Africa I got fed up with reading in the papers stories like security guards shooting armed robbers to protect themselves and the public and then being arrested themselves for a crime.

Or the darker side: security guards being bribed or intimidated by gangsters for access to the complex. This of course means that if they are going to be given the training and the responsibilities of a police officer, then their entire pay package must be commensurate with a police officer’s. Which means security guards are hopefully less likely to accept bribes and intimidation – and I emphasise hopefully.

I can’t remember what security guards earned, but it was parlous compared to the salary of a cop. However, I am happy to be corrected. Definitely the package must include comprehensive medical care and hospital treatment. Joe and the lads are less likely to be bribed if their earnings are improved.

Now I know the above can come across as naive. I knew about the corruption in the police force, and from Jackie Selebi down this needs constant and thorough monitoring. I have had traffic cops drop hints as subtle as cow dung about letting me off for a traffic misdemeanour in exchange for a few bucks.

I knew well that many people in South Africa carried their driver’s license in a special wallet. In one sleeve inside the wallet is the driving license card, in the other sleeve a hundred bucks or whatever the going rate is. I knew of people who would hand over the wallet to the officer after being caught speeding and the wallet would only come back with the driver’s license card inside and the offender was waved back onto the road.

If the cop asked what the money was for, you said that it was – oh – in case of an emergency and stare innocently ahead. He could not prove that you were trying to bribe him.

Here in Shanghai there is an abundance of security guards. There is a policy in China on employment, which ensures that there is over-employment, and the security guard sector is over-employed, which makes one feel safer in a city generally very safe – by SA standards. Quite simply, there are eyes everywhere.

The security guards outside our apartment block are genial, easy going chaps who lounge about smoking and playing cards – one of China’s favourite pastimes.

Security guards in banks are also trained to help customers find the right queue and can answer simple questions about banking. Of course they only speak in Chinese.

Chinese citizens are not allowed to carry guns. Given the incidents of abuse of firearms, never mind the shootings in schools and universities in the USA and the recent one in Finland where nine were killed by that lunatic, it’s a great, humanitarian idea.

At the end of the day I am inclined to agree with the banning of firearms for citizens in SA. I know the hunters will be up in – wait for it – arms about that one. Perhaps pass a law entitling people to apply for a license to use rifles only on farms and in the wilderness reserves.

But if criminals cannot get access to firearms, they are far less dangerous. I can point a gun at you from across a room and you are helpless. I can’t do that with a knife or club.

As The Times article says, “There are almost four security guards to every operational police officer in South Africa and they often arrive at crime scenes first”. I am inclined to think the next step should be considered: privatising the police force.

There is a huge profit to be made and it would attract professional companies like Chubb and ADT. If policing was given a truly professional status, with professional pay packages, it would attract (or bring back) real professionals and crime would be significantly reduced in South Africa.

In essence my only concern about South Africa is the horrific crime and violence. Other than that it is a magnificent country – up there with the best – with manageable problems.