'Private security in South Africa is booming, but exclusively for the wealthy'
The private security industry employs four times as many people as in 1997.
Picture: Pixabay.com
Africa Melane interviews Guy Lamb, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Stellenbosch University.
Listen below.
South Africa's soaring crime rates and dwindling trust in the South African Police Service (SAPS) have paved the way for a flourishing private security industry.
Active personnel increased by over 400% since 1997, and registered firms have soared by nearly 86% since 2014. The industry is estimated to be worth R50 billion.
These figures emerge against the backdrop of escalating violent crime, as recent statistics reveal an average of 84 daily murders in the country.
Lamb highlights the harsh reality faced by residents in high-crime neighbourhoods: they not only endure the inadequacy of policing resources but also lack the financial capacity to enlist private security services, exacerbating their plight.
Unfortunately, he foresees no imminent resolution to this predicament, nor does he anticipate any bolstering of policing efforts, given the already strained resources dedicated to addressing the crime epidemic.
"You've got this double whammy where you've got people living in areas that don't have the same level or resources of policing, but they also don't have the necessary capacity to employ the kind of private security that wealthier neighbourhoods can employ."
- Guy Lamb, Department of Political Science – Stellenbosch University
"The situation is not going to change."
- Guy Lamb, Department of Political Science – Stellenbosch University
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.