Investigating & Security Activities Including Vehicle Tracking

The private security sector uses guards and technology to offer protective services to deter, deny, detect or delay the commission of a crime and assist clients to respond effectively to and recover from untoward events. In South Africa private security officers and service providers are required to register with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, which has over 500,000 security officers and approximately 9,000 security companies signed up. The private security sector continues to grow as it provides a service not readily available from South Africa’s poorly-functioning police force. Apart from the basic commercial and residential armed response service, the industry provides services ranging from special event parking and access control to mounted and dog units and asset protection services during strikes, plant closures and natural disasters.

Tech Developments

Technology is taking on many of the security tasks that used to be assigned to guards, but the number of registered guards is still growing. Technologies that lower costs and increase efficiencies aim to eliminate or at least manage the human element. Security-related technology includes alarm systems using artificial intelligence to analyse behaviour and recognise anomalies and an internet of things systems that synchronise home automation systems and control lights, gates and air conditioning and provide access for parcel deliveries. Others include GPS-enabled tracking devices in security officers’ armbands, portable scanning units and drone guards providing unmanned aerial surveillance.

Report Coverage

This report on Investigating & Security Activities including vehicle tracking includes comprehensive information on the size and state of the industry, including private security services, vehicle tracking and background screening and verification. It covers relevant regulation and crime information, corporate actions, competition issues and trends. There are profiles of 36 companies including notable players such as Fidelity and G4S, fleet management companies such as Cartrack, Mix Telematics, Tracker and Netstar and protective services such as Tshedza and TSU.