Call to protect Zim security guards in SA

AS South Africa celebrated Human Rights Day yesterday, an employer association in the private security sector called on authorities to look into the plight of Zimbabwean security guards allegedly being abused by some unscrupulous employers.

A significant number of Zimbabweans are employed as security guards manning shopping malls, public facilities such as hospitals, the mining industry, residential clusters, and parking lots across South Africa.

The Association of Private Security Owners of South Africa (Tapsosa) said foreign nationals, especially those undocumented, were prone to human rights abuses including inhumane treatment and child labour.

Last month, it emerged a security company in the Mpumalanga province was employing teenagers aged 16, interfering with their ability to attend regular school.

Tapsosa president Mr Jones Maphalaphathwa said they knew of companies hiring untrained, undocumented and unregistered officers from Zimbabwe “so they can take advantage of them because they are either undocumented or desperate to keep their jobs because of the situation back home.

“It can’t be right that we have our African brothers exploited. Their rights should be respected, but they should also have the relevant documentation to work and live in South Africa.

“On the other hand, no employer should be found to be employing undocumented people for the purpose of exploiting them. It can’t be right,” Mr Maphalaphathwa said.

He added some of these companies were paying below the minimum wage.

Tapsosa is in talks with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) to investigate unlawful business practices. It wants the regulator to shut down noncompliant companies. Already, Sniper Protection Services, thought to have Zimbabweans under their employ, is under investigation for hiring 16-yearolds and 17-year-olds.

“Sixteen-year-olds must be in school, PSIRA must take stern action against companies doing this,” said Mr Maphalaphathwa.

Some employees at the company have confirmed they were paid between R2 500-R3 000. According to the national minimum wage, the lowest paid security officer should be earning R3 643.

A Zimbabwean security officer guarding a complex south of Johannesburg said they had “no choice but to stay in these jobs because things are tough back home and we have families to take care of.”

He added sometimes salaries are not paid, but they could not take it up with the Department of Labour as they were in the country illegally.