THE PROBLEMS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY

Get Complete Project Material File(s) Now! »

CHAPTER THREE PRIVATE  SECURITY  INDUSTRY  AND  ITS  REGULATORY  CHALLENGES: COMPARATIVE STUDY

INTRODUCTION

Reiss (1995: 9) points out that, in most cases, research that is conducted on crime prevention is mainly based on the philosophies and perspectives of a specific society. Reiss further states that there is little evidence of the research that shows the cross-national crime prevention. It is because of this reason that comparative studies on crime prevention remains key and present an interest that enable different states to solve crime problems through lessons learnt from others. One is mindful of the fact that crime risks are different from one area to another. In addition, Reiss (1995: 9) asserts that criminologists tend to concentrate more on the assessment of risks and the models dealing with crime reduction in an effort to change or reduce the chances of committing crimes. It is in this light that the understanding of the crime risks and crime reduction is seen to be within the competence of private security and the public police. This shows clearly that PSI is a strategic stakeholder in crime prevention.
Reiss (1995:9) states that every time when people talk about private security they think immediately about it as human beings (security personnel) and overlook the security technology aspect that the PSI use to advance their role in crime reduction. At the same time, other individuals are of the opinion that crime prevention is the sole responsibility of the public police as they carry out their constitutional mandate. This does not exclude the enlistment of the private security by individuals who feel that the protection provided by the police is not enough.
Lee (1995:61) states that crime has been on the increase throughout the whole world from the end of World War II. This has prompted alternative methods of crime prevention such as the use of private security. Skogan (1995:75) states that in the United States of America (USA), the study was conducted about crime prevention by public police and 60% of the respondents indicated that they had confidence in the police and the same percentage stated that the police were doing a good job. Burstein (1994:12) is of the opinion that the public police’s role in crime prevention needs some form of assistance from private security due to the fact that the public police mainly use two theories in crime prevention, namely, crime detection and visible policing which proved to be reactive in dealing with crime. Burstein further states that most states would attribute the use of these methods to the limited resources that the police have at their disposal.
This comparative study is designed to show how private security companies are used in different regions such as Southern African Development Community (SADC), European and Asian in crime reduction. This will also indicate how these private security companies operate in the different countries of these regions.

THE IMPACT OF PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN CRIME REDUCTION: SELECTED SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COUNTRIES

Around late 1970s, some of the Southern African states cooperated on economic issues and signed a MOU in 1981 where they adopted their cooperation (Treaty of the SADC, 1992). This cooperation was called “Southern Africa: Towards Economic Liberation”. As a result of this cooperation, in 1992, Southern African Development Community (SADC) was established with the aim of ensuring common security to the region. The member states of SADC are the following: Angola; Botswana; Democratic Republic of Congo; Lesotho; Malawi; Mauritius; Mozambique; Namibia; Seychelles; South Africa; Swaziland; United Republic of Tanzania; Zambia; and Zimbabwe (Treaty of the SADC, 1992).
For the purpose of this study, five of the SADC countries (Swaziland, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Lesotho) are looked at in terms of the role of private security in crime reduction. This, of course, is in comparison to other countries (for example, other European countries and Australia) in different parts of the world. The reason for choosing these countries is that they have private security system that is similar to that of South Africa. In this case, it will be easier to draw international benchmark between South Africa and them.
SADC countries have different security challenges facing their security sectors. According to African Public Policy and Research Institute (2011:12), the security sector consists of, among others, the state and non-state actors providing security for protecting people and their belongings. A country such as Botswana is classified under countries with stable democracies; a country such as Democratic Republic of Congo is considered post conflict and still continue to face such situations whereby they experience intervention internationally; a country such as South Africa is considered to be a young democracy; and a country such as Zimbabwe is having an on-going political challenges (Hendricks & Musavengana, 2010:3-4).
The PSI in becoming more popular to rendering security services to countries which are bothered by internal conflicts such as civil wars since their clients range from the rebellious organisations to the despotic states leaders (Bosch & Maritz, 2011:72). This makes private security personnel employed by these security companies to be in the forefront of conflicts which makes them vulnerable and the situation urges them to be armed as well (Bosch & Maritz, 2011:80). This poses a question on the boundaries of the PSI and their possession of firearms in the public space.
SADC made efforts through Article 12 (SADC, 2001) that member states urge to come up with an awareness programme of motivating members of the public to surrender their firearms for destruction and get compensated or get immunity for having been in possession of weapons. This was also aimed at minimising the number of firearms which were in public and were used to commit crime among others. These firearms were found to be mainly used by the organised criminals to commit organised crimes.

Organised crime in SADC region

Organised crime is understood to be used generally across SADC region by organised groups to commit criminal activities (Gastrow, 2001:14). Gastrow (2001:4) states that it is difficult to get the information that is accurate and adequate on organised crime in SADC region even though the problem continues to bother the region because most of the SADC countries lack resources to combat crime and more so organised crime that is prevalent. Gastrow (2001:5) goes on to indicate that organised crimes that are mainly problematic in SADC region are, among others, armed robbery; vehicle theft and hijacking; smuggling of firearms; and dealing with counterfeit notes. The study by Gastrow (2001:5) about organised crime in SADC also revealed that South Africa and Nigeria facilitate the spread of the organised crimes into SADC region.
South African citizens threaten Southern African countries such as Botswana; Zimbabwe; Zambia; Tanzania; Lesotho; and Namibia while Nigerian citizens threaten the countries such as Lesotho; Swaziland; South Africa; and Zimbabwe. The mere fact that organised crime affect the general safety and security needs of people and organisations alike encroaches on the domain of the private security as well.

Private security in Botswana

According to Hendricks and Musavengana (2010:49), in 2010, Botswana had about 789 private security companies registered with the Office of the President as it is a requirement to operate a security company in that country. Of the 789 private security companies, only 150 of them were actively rendering security services. These private security companies are offering their services to the people who afford them such as business people who use them to protect their organisations in an effort to augment the protection offered by the police.
Botswana Police Service (2014: np) indicates an increase in certain crime categories such as murder, armed robbery, rape and theft out of motor vehicle. Despite the fact that Botswana is still having a death penalty for murder in terms of the Botswana Constitution 1966 (as amended in 2006), it seems as if this does not provide sufficient deterrent. Botswana Police Service (2014: np) indicates that incidence of murder increased from 87 in 2012 to 91 in 2013. The International Federation of Human Rights (IFHR) (2007:18) states that although it is difficult to get the exact statistics of the people who are executed in Botswana, reports indicate that since its independence in 1966, Botswana executed 38 people and the last execution was done on 01 April 2006.
Armed robbery increased from 512 incidences in 2012 to 660 incidences in 2013 (Botswana Police Service, 2014: np). It is important to note that some of these crimes are not only committed by the citizens of Botswana. They are also committed by the people from neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe and South Africa. A classic example is that of four Zimbabweans and one Botswana citizen who robbed a filling station in Mogoditsane in Gaborone of undisclosed amount of money (Staff Reporter, 2013). It is in cases like this that the role of private security can be employed to help businesses combat crime as the provision of individualised security falls outside the scope of the police.
Mukumbira (2004:np) states that the increase of rape in Botswana is attributed to the myth that sexual intercourse with a virgin cures HIV/AIDS. This myth led to 34 children between the ages of six months and seven been raped in Botswana in 2004. This clearly poses a serious threat to the personal safety and security needs in Botswana. Botswana Police Service (2014: np) indicates the incidence of rape has increased from 684 in 2012 to 707 in 2013.
Theft out of motor vehicle is also on the increase with 114 incidences in 2012 to 125 incidences in 2013 (Botswana Police Service, 2014: np). This is the crime that largely happens at the shopping malls and due to the sophistication of the criminals; it is committed within a very short period. A research conducted by Spies (2012: np) in South Africa indicates that it takes about 10 seconds to steal from the vehicle parked at places such as shopping malls. The omnipresence of security personnel and the availability of CCTVs could go a long way in preventing and deterring potential criminals from committing this crime.

CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL ORIENTATION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY
1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.6 VALUE OF RESEARCH
1.7 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
1.8 SECURITY PRACTICES
1.9 KEY THEORETICAL CONCEPTS
1.10 LAYOUT OF CHAPTERS
1.11 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER TWO: AN OVERVIEW OF THE PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 THE HISTORY OF PRIVATE SECURITY IN SOUTH AFRICA
2.3 SECURITY SERVICES IN SOUTH AFRICA
2.4 THE PROBLEMS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY
2.5 DAILY SERVICE CHALLENGES FACING PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA
2.6 REGULATING THE PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA
2.7 THE GROWTH OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY
2.8 FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF SECURITY COMPANIES IN SOUTH AFRICA
2.9 SECTORAL DETERMINATION 6: 2010
2.10 THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE MINISTER OF POLICE IN THE SECURITY INDUSTRY
2.11 SECURITY ASSOCIATIONS
2.12 PROFESSIONAL BODIES IN THE SECURITY INDUSTRY
2.13 THE RIGHT TO STRIKE BY PRIVATE SECURITY
2.14 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER THREE: PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY AND ITS REGULATORY CHALLENGES: COMPARATIVE STUDY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 THE IMPACT OF PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN CRIME REDUCTION: SELECTED SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COUNTRIES
3.3 THE ANALYSIS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITY IN SELECTED SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COUNTRIES
3.4 PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALI
3.5 PRIVATE SECURITY IN UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND EAST ASIA
3.6 REGULATING PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
3.7 AN OVERVIEW OF THE REGULATION OF THE PRIVATE SECURITY SERVICES IN EUROPE
3.8 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FOUR: PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP POLICING
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 PERCEPTION OF POLICING IN SOUTH AFRICA
4.3 POLITICS OF CRIME PREVENTION
4.4 CRIME PREVENTION IN PRACTICE
4.5 KNOWLEDGE BASE CRIME PREVENTION
4.6 PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING
4.7 CRIME DISPLACEMENT
4.8 THE BENEFIT OF PARTNERSHIP POLICING
4.9 MANAGING PARTNERSHIPS TO REDUCE CRIME
4.10 POLICING PARTNERSHIPS AROUND VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD
4.11 THE ANALYSIS OF PARTNERSHIPS
4.12 FACTORS AFFECTING THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN CRIME PREVENTION
4.13 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECURITY EMPLOYERS IN CRIME REDUCTION
4.14 PEACE OFFICER STATUS BY PRIVATE SECURITY PERSONNEL
4.15 FACTORS AFFECTING THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PUBLIC POLICE IN CRIME PREVENTION
4.16 PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND MUNICIPALITIES
4.17 THE ROLE OF MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY IN CRIME PREVENTION
4.18 THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN CRIME PREVENTION
4.19 MISCONDUCT BY THE PUBLIC POLICE AND PRIVATE SECURITY PERSONNEL
4.20 SECURITY CODE OF ETHICS
4.21 NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
4.22 THE USE OF CCTV BY BUSINESS AGAINST CRIME
4.23 THE USE OF CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION IN CRIME PREVENTION IN SOUTH AFRICA
4.24 CCTV STANDARDS ACCORDING TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN BUREAU OF STANDARDS
4.25 THE USE OF THE CCTV IN CRIME PREVENTION IN AUSTRALIA
4.26 CCTV BEST PRACTICE
4.27 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
4.28 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FIVE: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 SITUATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION
5.3 EFFECTIVENESS OF SITUATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION
5.4 CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
5.5 SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY OF DELINQUENCY
5.6 CRIME PREVENTION TOOLS THAT MAY BE APPLIED IN LINE WITH CPTED, SITUATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION THEORY AND SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY OF DELINQUENCY
5.7 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER SIX: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 RESEARCH APPROACH
6.3 THE RESEARCH DESIGN
6.4 POPULATION AND SAMPLING
6.5 DATA COLLECTION METHODS
6.6 DATA ANALYSIS
6.7 VALIDITY, RELIABILITY AND ACCURACY OF COLLECTED
INFORMATION
6.8 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
6.9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
6.10 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER SEVEN: FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND STATISTICAL RESPONSE OF THE PARTICIPANTS
7.3 BARRIERS TO MORE EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP POLICING BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE
7.4 THE ADEQUECY AND THE QUALITY OF TRAINING OFFERRED TO PRIVATE SECURITY PERSONNEL
7.5 ADDITIONAL LEGAL POWERS FOR PRIVATE SECURITY PERSONNEL
7.6 TYPES OF RESOURCES AND SPECIALISED SECURITY SERVICES
7.7 SHORTCOMINGS OF THE REGULATORY BODY (PSIRA)
7.8 RECOMMENDATIONS
7.9 AREAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
7.10 CONCLUSION
LIST OF REFERENCES
GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT
PARTNERSHIP POLICING BETWEEN THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE AND THE PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY IN REDUCING CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA