PRIVATE SECURITY NO GUN SHAKE UP

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has given his stamp of approval on the private security amendments which could lead to members of private security firms not allowed to use guns.

On the one hand, gun-control advocates are encouraging this, the security industry is up in arms.

Although Mchunu has signed oof on the proposed amendments, the public is still welcome to comment on the matter.

The private security industry is massive in South Africa with every mall, office block, private estate and neighbourhood having some sort of private security measures in place.

Now, things are about to change. If an armed robbery takes place at an office block, for example, the security guards at the office block won’t be able to do anything other than call the police.

The same goes for a robbery at a mall. While the robbers would most likely have guns and use them, the security officers wouldn’t be able to do anything to protect themselves or the public.

Daily Maverick reports that various sources with ties to the sector, and some to police, agreed that tightening the least on private security wasn’t a bad idea in theory, but an overriding problem was that the South African Police Service wasn’t viewed as a reliable source of security.

Image credit: The Mail & Guardian