Security is an essential service in a Sectional Title Scheme. A lot can go on that only security personnel can pick up and act upon. If this service is not running like a well-oiled machine, you can have a lot of ‘issues’. Most ordinary folk would be clueless as to what faces a complex on a daily basis. Trusteeship provides great enlightenment!
The most common part of security work is access control, complex patrolling, boundary and camera monitoring, conduct rules enforcement. Your guards really have to understand how access control is implemented and why procedures and measures are put in place to ensure security and the protection of the complex and its residents. The quality of your security personnel is dependent on what the trustees demand of the service and how the staff is managed by their company.
PSIRA
Guards are graded according to an industry standard – all this information can be obtained by going to the website https://psira.co.za. This is the industry regulator who ensures that security services – companies and personnel are vetted and regulated. The website has a wealth of information as to how the industry operates and what should happen. Security companies have a PSIRA registration number(https://digitalservices.psira.co.za/verify-user/8) and Guards can be checked as to their grade standing and identification(https://digitalservices.psira.co.za/verify-user/4). Your estate manager and/or managing agent should be ensuring that the security company is compliant. It is quite common in the industry for grade C guards(lowest level) to have a high turnover. If you are not paying attention, anyone off the street can literally be given a uniform and asked to do the necessary at your complex. I suspect a lot of fly-by-night security companies and those that know how to work the system practice this. It becomes necessary for the estate manager to constantly keep an eye out for new personnel and ensure their PSIRA number complies. You have the ability to report any issues of non-compliance to PSIRA who then appoint their inspectors to investigate. According to discussions with people in the know, this organization has teeth and the fines and actions taken have serious consequences for non-compliance.
We recently found out that the security company we had, had about 80% of the guards non-compliant – ie off the street and given a uniform for all intents and purposes. The quality of service being received was quite shocking, and we were paying an exorbitant amount per guard at the time. The excuse given was that it was Covid and the guards were registered but PSIRA(we didn’t know about this organization’s role then) was not catching up to properly certifying the guards. Utter bullshit. We find out later that the amount of guards that are properly certified at any point in time is much, much more than the demand – certified guards regularly approach security companies for work – this was especially the case during COVID! It seems it is common practice for unscrupulous security companies to get the cheapest warm body to fill a uniform and given the basics to appear to provide an adequate service. Unfortunately, foreign nationals are targeted for this. We also found out that our errant security company was charging VAT to us but at a sister complex, not. Other than this being highly illegal and would raise the ire of SARS, speaking to those in the know, apparently, this practice is a mechanism to pay their staff cash and forgo all the rules and regulations governing the industry – PAYE, sick leave, etc. The BC then pays top dollar for underpaid, untrained, and unmotivated guards while this unscrupulous company takes the bulk of the proceeds for themselves.
Enforcement of Conduct Rules
Conduct rules and the enforcement thereof involves your security company. It is, therefore, necessary that the supervisors stationed at your complex be well-versed as to what the conduct rules are and how and with what diligence they are to be enforced. Incidents like noise complaints need to be handled by security personnel in the proper manner. Believe me, if security does not consistently and professionally deal with enforcing conduct rules on the ground, you won’t hear the end of it(pun intended!).
Beware of the Following 3 afflictions:
It appears complexes can be targetted for the following:
- Drug manufacturing and distribution
- Prostitution
- Car Theft.
Drug manufacturing and distribution is easy to spot if the guards are alert and trained and if you have an active, alert community. If not…. it could be happening right under your nose and in a large complex, this is something that could be hidden from you quite easily. What we have heard is that those involved would also be guards who are compromised. These guards would be in collusion with these syndicates as they would be necessary to provide alerts to internal communications, turning a blind eye to activities and providing interference etc.
Prostitution is apparently quite common in urban areas and especially from enterprising tenants rather than owners. The ladies of the night can be quite discreet, and commonly have a relationship with the night shift security to run interference. However, this can again be picked up quite easily by a properly alert and diligent security team. In our case, our lady was not as discreet and provided quite vocal entertainment at odd hours and with unusual frequency. Entry logs from our access system confirmed a high frequency of visitations.
Car theft – it is common practice in a large complex for this to happen! A car is let in and parked off quietly without number plates/false number plates and the VIN number obscured. The purpose is to let it ‘cool off’ for awhile. Tracking companies may still be able to pick it up so these syndicates use complexes as a means to store the car and provide adequate cover while it’s cooling off.
Who knows what else complexes are used for? Your guards do! As an ignorant and naive trustee, getting to know about this was quite shocking. But as guardians and caretakers of the Body Corporate, it becomes necessary to deal with it. And you can only deal with it properly when you have a security company you can trust, are reputable, and competent enough to deal with all the challenges. Ultimately, the level of service required is determined by the trustees – how involved they are and how committed they are to ensure they get what is required for security to be effective.
Stay safe!