How to choose a security company in Cape Town

Step 1: check PSiRA registration, for the company and each officer

The law says nobody may provide a security service for reward unless registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority. PSiRA also advises clients to contract only registered providers and to ask for proof.

Ask for the company's registration certificate and a letter of good standing from PSiRA. Then check for yourself: PSiRA has an online portal for verifying businesses and another for individuals, and a mobile app. Search the company by name, then check each officer who will be on your site.

• Business verification: digitalservices.psira.co.za/verify-user/8
• Individual verification: digitalservices.psira.co.za/verify-user/4
• PSiRA helpdesk: 086 133 3850
• Registered directors and managers must hold registration themselves, so ask who they are.

Step 2: ask about labour and fund compliance

PSiRA's own list of what a buyer should look for goes beyond registration. Ask whether the business is registered with the compensation fund (COIDA) and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), with the Private Security Sector Provident Fund or holds an exemption letter, and with the bargaining council for the sector.

Why this matters to you: under section 89 of COIDA, if a contractor does not register or pay its assessments, its employees on your premises are treated as your employees and you must pay the assessments. A company that cuts these costs may also be cutting training, equipment or supervision.

Step 3: understand supervision and reporting

Guards are only as good as the checking behind them. Ask how often a supervisor visits your site, at what hours, how visits are recorded, and what happens when a guard does not arrive.

Ask what reports you will get. Look for an occurrence book on site, a written report after any incident, and a named person you can phone. Ask what the backup is if a guard is sick.

Step 4: read the contract

Get the terms in writing and read them before you sign.

• The number of officers, hours, posts and grade for each post.
• Written post instructions, agreed with you.
• Notice period and how you can end the contract if service is poor.
• Insurance cover the provider holds, and who is liable for losses on site.
• Price, escalation and what is and is not included, such as uniforms and supervision.
• Rules on replacing officers, and on guards from other sites.

Step 5: references and a trial

Ask for two or three clients with sites like yours and phone them. Ask about reliability, what happened when something went wrong and whether they would hire the company again.

If possible, start with a shorter term or review period. Visit the site yourself at night in the first weeks.

Warning signs

Some signs should slow you down. A company that cannot or will not show registration, that pushes you to sign quickly, or that quotes far below everyone else is risky. So is one that cannot name its supervisors or says it needs no written post instructions.

Be wary of guards who arrive without a PSiRA card or in mismatched uniform, and of a provider that changes staff on your site every week. Constant turnover usually points to poor pay or management.

Complaints and ending the contract

PSiRA runs a complaints process for conduct by security companies and officers, and you can contact its offices or use its app. Before that, raise problems in writing with the provider and keep a record of dates.

A good contract lets you end service with reasonable notice if the provider fails to meet agreed standards. This is the strongest reason to read the termination clause before you sign.

A simple checklist

Print this and tick it for each provider you compare.

• Company verified on the PSiRA business portal.
• Every officer verified on the PSiRA individual portal.
• PSiRA letter of good standing seen.
• COID, UIF, provident fund and bargaining council status confirmed.
• Supervision visits and incident reporting described in writing.
• Contract read, with grades, notice period and liability clear.
• References phoned.
• Price makes sense for the wages and cover it must pay for.

Questions people ask

Sources

• PSiRA: Consumer Awareness (what to check when buying security services, how to verify officers and businesses)
• PSiRA: Registration Division (requirements for business and individual registration)
• Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993, section 89

More guides