PSIRA Grade A cheat sheet

The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) is established under the Private Security Industry Regulation Act, 2001 (Act 56 of 2001).

Registration with PSIRA is mandatory for any person who renders a security service for reward; rendering such a service while unregistered is an offence.

A security service provider must be registered in the category or class of security service actually rendered; registration is not a blanket licence for all categories.

An application for registration must be accompanied by the prescribed fee and proof of the required training and identification; incomplete applications are not processed.

A registered security service provider is issued a registration certificate, which must be produced on demand by an authorised officer.

Registration lapses or may be refused, suspended or withdrawn where the applicant is convicted of a scheduled offence or fails to meet prescribed requirements.

Security businesses must register as security service providers and must employ only registered security officers; employing unregistered persons is an offence.

A registered person must notify PSIRA of a change of address or other prescribed particulars within the period set by the regulations.

Annual fees and renewal requirements must be met to keep registration valid; practising on a lapsed registration is an offence.

Training for security officers is delivered against unit standards registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and quality-assured by the relevant SETA.

Grades of security officer (Grades E, D, C, B and A) correspond to progressively higher NQF levels and require the prescribed training before promotion.

Grade E is the entry-level grade; a person must complete the prescribed basic training before being registered and deployed as a security officer.

Grade A is the highest security officer grade and requires the most advanced prescribed training and experience among the officer grades.

Training providers must be accredited or approved to present security training; certificates from unaccredited providers do not satisfy registration requirements.

Assessment is outcomes-based: a learner must demonstrate competence against each unit standard, and credits are recorded on the learner's records.

First aid, fire fighting and health and safety are core components of basic security training alongside legal knowledge and security procedures.

Annual or periodic refresher and in-service training requirements apply to maintain competence and grade status.

A security officer's powers derive from the common law and specific statutes; a security officer has no greater powers of arrest than an ordinary citizen unless a statute confers them.

A private person may arrest without a warrant a person reasonably suspected of committing an offence in their presence, and must deliver the arrested person to a police official without delay.

Section 42 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 governs arrest by a private person; the arrest must be based on reasonable suspicion, not mere speculation.

The use of force in effecting an arrest must be reasonable and proportionate; deadly force may not be used merely to protect property.

A security officer may search a person or premises only with consent or where a statute or lawful authority permits; unreasonable searches are unlawful.

Section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act limits the use of force to effect an arrest, and the Constitutional Court has held that deadly force is permissible only in limited circumstances.

Evidence obtained through unlawful search or seizure may be excluded if its admission would render the trial unfair or be otherwise detrimental to the administration of justice.

A security officer who exceeds lawful powers may face criminal prosecution and civil liability, and PSIRA may take regulatory action against the registration.

PSIRA appoints inspectors who are authorised to monitor and enforce compliance with the Private Security Industry Regulation Act and its regulations.

An inspector may enter premises used for the rendering of a security service without a warrant where the inspector reasonably believes a security service is being rendered.

An inspector may demand the production of a registration certificate, training records, and other prescribed documentation from a security service provider.

An inspector may question any person on the premises regarding compliance and may require that person to identify themselves.

An inspector may seize documents or items that are evidence of an offence, subject to the prescribed procedures and record-keeping.

Obstructing, hindering or failing to comply with a lawful instruction of an inspector is an offence under the Act.

An inspector must produce proof of appointment or identification when exercising inspection powers, and must act within the scope of the powers conferred.

Findings of an inspection may lead to a compliance notice, a recommendation for suspension or withdrawal of registration, or referral for prosecution.

PSIRA receives and investigates complaints against registered security service providers and security officers relating to the rendering of security services.

A complaint must be lodged in the prescribed manner and should identify the parties, the conduct complained of, and the supporting facts.

PSIRA may investigate a complaint on its own initiative, not only on receipt of a complaint from a member of the public.

After investigation, PSIRA may dismiss the complaint, issue a compliance notice, impose a sanction, or refer the matter for criminal prosecution.

A person affected by a decision of PSIRA may have a right of appeal or review in terms of the Act and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000.

Complainants and witnesses are protected against victimisation for lodging a complaint or cooperating with an investigation.

PSIRA must observe procedural fairness in investigating and deciding complaints, including giving the affected provider an opportunity to respond.

Records of complaints and their outcomes are maintained by PSIRA and inform the regulatory history of the registered provider.