New security training standards for South Africa
September 2016, This
Week's Editor's Pick, Conferences & Events, Associations
By Vusi Melane.
The Private Security Industry Regulatory Association (PSiRA) has
proposed updated security training standards for the private security industry
and consumers in South Africa. PSiRA says the current training standards are
old and outdated.
The regulations come after consultations
with the private security sector stakeholders. These consultations have been
met with both positive and negative objections by concerned players. However,
PSiRA insists that these new updated security standards are a required to
better the industry.
“The existing training standards are
based on old curriculum, which is also not aligned with the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF) as contemplated in the National Qualifications
Framework Act, 2008. In terms of section 23(3) of the PSiRA Act, all natural
persons applying for registration must meet minimum training requirements in
order to register,” said deputy director at PSiRA, Mpho Mofikoe.
Registered security officers must also meet minimum training
requirements to render certain types of security services. In recognising the
need for training requirements for the private security industry, regulations
were promulgated in terms of the repealed Security Officers’ Act, 1987, namely
the Training of Security Officers Regulations, 1992. These regulations provided
for the establishment of a Security Officers’ Board Training Committee
(represented by the private security industry) which was responsible for
determining different training levels for the different categories or grades of
security officers.
In addition, this training committee also determined the main
courses and minimum requirement modules governing certain competencies, which
were published as board notices. Further, the Training of Security Officer
Regulations, 1992 made provision for the accreditation of training
establishments and instructors to present the training courses accredited with
the previous Security Officers Board and currently PSiRA.
In support of the scope of regulation as contemplated in the
repealed Security Officers Act, 1987 minimum training standards were published
in regulations or board notices for the guarding sector (Grades E to A), assets
in transit, reaction services, special events, and dog handlers (DH1 to DH5)”
Following on from the promulgation of the Private Security
Industry Regulation Act, (Act No. 56 of 2001), the Training of Security Officer
Regulations, 1992 and any board notices published in respect of minimum
training standards for the private security industry remained in force in terms
of the transitional provisions as contemplated in section 44 of the PSiRA Act.
However, these training regulations did not provide minimum training standards
for the increased scope of regulation and the new categories or classes of
security service providers that are required to be registered in terms of the
PSiRA Act.
In terms of the PSiRA Act, persons rendering the following
services are required to register:
• Guarding sector: static guarding, car guards, in-house
guarding, close protection officers, response security, assets in transit,
event security.
• Manufacturers, importers and distributors of monitoring
devices.
• Private investigators.
• Security trainers.
• Control room operators (monitoring signals from electronic
security equipment).
• Locksmiths.
• Persons managing, controlling or supervising any of these
security services.
• Installers of the different security equipment as defined.
• Persons repairing/servicing the different security equipment
as defined, and
• Persons giving advice on security services, including the use
of the different security equipment as defined.
“There is therefore a need to determine minimum training
standards for all the different categories or classes of security service
providers,” she said.
According to PSiRA, it is the expectation of the authority that
the NQF-based programmes will bring about the necessary coherence and impetus
to ensure a drive for better qualified security service providers for all the
different categories or classes. These proposed standards have been well
received by the security industry, while there were a few concerns around
“responsibility for the authority” and “cost and time.”
“The industry is demanding that PSiRA takes full responsibility
of the accreditation process and quality assurance due to the current
frustrations they have been experiencing from SASSETA. Lack of industry
expertise and current administrative challenges from SASSETA have created
serious delays with the process of quality assurance,” noted Mofikoe.
The authority is currently addressing this challenge and
solutions have been developed. The Draft Training Regulations has made
provision for recognising entry-level training for purposes of registration,
based on the theoretical component of the training standards and not full
competency. This will allow shorter learning time to allow applicant security
officers to be registered and gain access to employment while they complete the
practical component of their skills programme.
Another concern raised by the industry is with regard to the
cost and time. As far as the costs and the learning material are concerned, the
authority will ensure a review of these aspects through stakeholder
consultations. “We are confident that this will result in a reduction of
learning time and costs,” she said. “There has been an extension of the
consultation deadline.”
The impact of the proposed review is twofold, namely the impact
on the existing training providers as well as the impact on the applicant
security service provider. One of key factors that the PSiRA has embarked on to
assist with the transition is capacity-building workshops for training
providers. The authority will also be implementing train-the-trainer
sessions/workshops as part of enhancing the training providers’ capacity to
deal with the transition and any challenges thereof.
PSiRA maintains that every element of the proposed training
standards “is intended to support the authority’s objective in ensuring a
competent and professional private security industry for the long-term interest
of the state, the public and consumers, as well as the private security
industry itself.”
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