The core of the job: observe and report
A guard is there to watch, to deter and to report. Most of the value of a guard comes from being visible and alert, which makes opportunistic crime harder. It does not come from dramatic confrontations.
Guards do not have police powers. Like any private person, the law allows a guard to make an arrest only in limited cases, and the person must then be handed to SAPS. A good provider's written policy is to observe, raise the alarm and call SAPS rather than intervene.
What a normal shift includes
The exact list depends on the site and is written down in the post instructions, sometimes called standing orders. Typical tasks are:
- Access control at the gate or reception: who comes in, who they are visiting, what they carry.
- Logging visitors, contractors and vehicles in and out.
- Patrols at set times, with a record that each point was checked.
- Checking that doors, gates, fences and lights are secure and working.
- Watching cameras or alarm panels where the site has them.
- Writing an occurrence book entry for anything unusual, however small.
- Handover to the next shift, so nothing is lost at the changeover.
Post instructions make the difference
A guard with no written instructions will do what the last guard did. A guard with clear instructions knows who to call, which door to check first and what counts as an emergency.
Write the instructions with your provider. Cover who may enter, after-hours rules, key control, what to do with a delivery that arrives late, and the escalation list with phone numbers.
Registration and training
Every guard must be registered with PSiRA, and registration depends on training at an accredited centre. PSiRA advises clients to ask for proof of registration, and says every officer on your contract should be registered and trained for the service being given.
Registration can be checked online, so you do not need to take anyone's word for it.
Supervision matters more than the guard
A lone guard on a night post is only as good as the checking behind them. The difference between a guarding company and a person in a uniform is supervision: someone who visits the post, checks the occurrence book, confirms that the guard is awake and equipped, and deals with problems before you hear about them.
Mtunzini Group is a family-run, PSiRA-registered guarding company in Cape Town that manages its officers with field supervision. Whichever company you choose, ask how this works in practice.
What a guard should not be asked to do
Clients sometimes use a guard as a general helper: parking cars, running errands, signing for deliveries, even locking up the office. Each extra task pulls the guard away from the post, and a gate left unattended is how incidents begin.
If you need extra tasks, put them in the post instructions and agree them with the provider. That way the guard knows what comes first when two things happen at once. A guard also should not be asked to confront people, search them without a policy, or put themselves at risk to protect property.
- Leaving the post to run an errand is a decision for the supervisor, not the client.
- Handling cash needs a written procedure and ideally two people.
- Any task that could put the guard in danger should be referred to SAPS.
Treat the guard as part of your team
Treat the guard as part of your team. Introduce them to staff, tell them about expected visitors and changes to routine, and let them know who to call. A guard who is ignored becomes bored, and a bored guard becomes careless.
Give feedback to the supervisor, not by instructing the guard to break their post instructions. If something is wrong, put it in writing so it is dealt with and recorded.
What to expect and what to ask
A good guard is polite, consistent and neat, knows the site, and writes things down. Use this short list when a guard first starts, and again every few months.
- Can I see the guard's PSiRA card, and does it check out online?
- Is there a written post instruction, and does the guard know it?
- Does the occurrence book have real entries, with times?
- Is there a visible supervisor visit record?
- Does the guard have a torch, radio or phone, and a way to raise the alarm?
- Who do I call when something goes wrong, at 2 a.m.?
Questions people ask
Can a security guard arrest someone?
A guard has no police powers. Like any private person, a guard may make an arrest only in limited cases (section 42 of the Criminal Procedure Act), and must then hand the person to SAPS. The usual and safest response is to observe, raise the alarm and call SAPS. Ask your provider for their written policy.
Should my guard be armed?
That depends on a risk assessment, and armed work carries extra legal and training requirements. For many sites, an unarmed, well-supervised guard with a reliable backup plan is what is needed.
How do I know my guard is on duty and awake?
Ask for a patrol log, supervisor visit records and spot checks. Visit unannounced now and then.
Sources
Mtunzini Group is a family-run, PSiRA-registered guarding company in Cape Town that actively manages its officers with field supervision.