Disarmed and defenceless

The Citizen

11-05-2025

Most residents and business owners would likely agree that they rely on private security companies as their first line of defence against criminals.
However, the proposed amendments to the Private Security Industry Regulation Act (PSIRA) could have dangerous and far-reaching consequences for community safety.
So, what are these proposed amendments?
'The police, in conjunction with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, recently gazetted a set of draft amendments aimed at tightening firearm control within the private security sector. According to the gazette, the amendments would limit the number and types of firearms that security personnel may use,' reported The Citizen, a sister publication of the Krugersdorp News.
The News reached out to local security companies to understand what impact these changes could have on public safety.
Johan Cronje, director at Mapogo A Mathamaga, explained that while the amendment is not yet law, it is expected to take effect on July 1.
'This amendment will strip semi-automatic firearms from the private security sector, impose stricter regulations on carrying standard firearms, limit the amount of ammunition guards can carry, and even ban restraining devices like handcuffs, as well as non-lethal tools such as pepper spray and tasers,' he explained.
Cronje stressed the serious implications for residents and business owners who rely on private security for protection.
In most cases, it's not the police but private security who respond first during incidents like break-ins.
'Now imagine a criminal breaks into your home, and the people you rely on are unarmed and underprepared. What are they supposed to do – throw rocks at criminals who might be armed with automatic weapons?' he asked.
He warned this could trigger a sharp rise in crime.
'Criminals don't care about regulations. These laws won't apply to them – they'll still get their hands on firearms. We're likely to see a spike in armed robberies because our guards will be at a major disadvantage, bound by strict regulations,' Cronje said.
Security guards risk their lives daily. Disarming them puts their lives – and the lives of the people they protect – at greater risk.
'How can they defend us without the proper tools?' he asked.
Beyond safety, Cronje also raised concerns about the economic impact.
'This could cost the industry an estimated half a million jobs.'
Jan Venter, director of Guardmax Protection Services, echoed Cronje's concerns. He warned that disarming trained security personnel would endanger lives and could collapse an industry that supports thousands of households.
'This will lead to more crime and leave communities vulnerable against heavily armed criminals,' he said.
'Instead of targeting licensed security providers, the focus should be on dismantling the illegal firearms trade. Security companies are often the first responders in serious crime situations – criminals arrive in groups and are heavily armed.'
'If our guards are unarmed, we're expected to focus only on prevention, while criminals prepare for confrontation. It's like sending soldiers into battle without their gear.
Disarming private security will render them ineffective and give criminals the upper hand,' Venter concluded.
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