Executive Protection Around the World: South Africa

EP Wired Desk

1 day ago

In the eighth edition of our breakthrough series, EP Wired is taking a closer look at executive protection in South Africa. We have interviewed two industry professionals and asked them to share their experiences working in the country. Here’s what they had to say.

What are the particular challenges of executive protection in your country?

The Law:

South African law is a challenge to the Security Industry and any Professional Operative within the scope, regardless if you are providing a service as an individual contractor or within a larger group or Corporation.

The latest shock was a media statement by P.S.I.R.A., the governing body for officers, that the use of weapons is going to be amended.

Weapons for the industry are firearms, pepper spray, batons, and handcuffs. These are the most used within the field and a common practice from the guard that records access control to your high-end armed reaction in vehicles and officers for close protection.

In South Africa, I am sure that there are over 1 million registered officers that, if this is altered, will affect and increase the risk of potential attack on themselves or what they are protecting.

It is also illegal for an individual to use his private firearm for work purposes. This limits the potential for any CPO operating on their own, due to the fact that should you use the firearm, that act is then seen as premeditated, and you knew it was illegal.

The Market:

The client now has very limited options in appointed protection, leaving the corporations with the lion’s share of the market.

The market itself for Executive Protection is limited. The corporations that then have the market can also control the fee for that service, further cutting out the individual.

Level of Skilled Professionals:

In South Africa, the only lawful credential needed to operate as a CPO is to be registered with P.S.I.R.A. as one. To obtain the training certificate is neither expensive nor difficult.

Your multi week/month course done by the leading institutes across the world is not recognised by this controlling body. The market is flooded with Individuals with minimal training and hardly any hands-on experience.

Lack of Medical Practitioners:

If you can make holes, you must be able to plug holes. Too many guns, crazy operatives, and not enough medical assistants in the teams. – Siegfried Hees

Executive protection in South Africa is shaped by one of the world’s highest rates of violent crime, including armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and organized criminal activity.

Protectors have to compete with increasingly sophisticated threats that combine physical and cyber risks, as executives are often viewed as high-value targets. Success requires continuous risk assessment, detailed advance planning, strong local intelligence, and the ability to adapt quickly to rapidly changing security environments. – Mashudu Modau

How do cultural or political factors influence the security landscape in your region?

We all know the history of South Africa and that, for close to 30 years now, the democracy has been going well. From a cultural view, not much has changed in the past 100 years. You still have the rich and the poor. The haves and have-nots, the rural communities and city life. It is not unusual for migrants from all regions in Africa to end up in the city of gold.

Crime and criminal activities follow persons that has not had a meal for 3 days, with temptation. If you have large groups of people that are homeless and hungry, all it will take is a spark that can lead to civil unrest. Civil unrest or protests are a daily occurrence in the region that can escalate at any time.

The security landscape in the region must always be treated as a potential or direct risk; you must have emergency plans and routes in place at all times. These are plans for unrest, not criminal activity for gain. – Siegfried Hees

What are the unexpected benefits of executive protection in your country?

Beyond providing physical security, executive protection in South Africa delivers several less obvious benefits. It allows executives to remain focused and productive by reducing stress and minimizing disruptions to their daily schedules.

Protectors also improve logistical efficiency through secure route planning, traffic management, and coordinated transportation. In addition, intelligence-led threat assessments and proactive risk mitigation help protect both the individual’s safety and their professional reputation, while discreet support enables clients to carry out their responsibilities with confidence. – Mashudu Modau

What are the most common types of threats or security concerns faced by clients in your country?

Unfortunately, the question is a bit misleading; most clients are ignorant of the risk or security concerns before an incident or are not proactive when they do have a level of protection.

It is the client and the client’s lifestyle that will determine the countermeasures needed to address the threats and security concerns.

However, a case study is needed in the region that you will operate in. The rule is that crime escalates.

A thief will turn into a robber, a robber into a murderer when they are trying to escape and you are in the way.

The crime on the way up is kidnapping. Normally, everyday middle-class businessmen and women are the main target, but not exclusive.

Murder is very high; every case has a motive. If you are going to profile your client against threats, then fraud must not be overlooked.

The next security concern is underestimating the Threat. One CPO is never a good idea; you can not handle the situation on your own. If the client can not or will not pay for two CPO officers, walk away. – Siegfried Hees

What are the unique tools and technology you carry to help you work in your country?

Executive protection professionals in South Africa rely on a combination of AI-driven intelligence platforms, secure communications, and specialized security technology. Real-time threat monitoring tools such as Dataminr provide early warning of incidents, while digital footprint and dark web monitoring help identify online threats before they escalate.

Encrypted communication platforms ensure secure coordination between team members, and GPS tracking, surveillance detection equipment, and other specialized hardware support situational awareness and rapid response in high-risk environments. – Mashudu Modau

What are some emerging trends or challenges in the field of private security and personal protection in your country?

In this fast-moving world where AI is evolving overnight, the trend will be less manpower and more high-tech in a few years. For now, the challenge is avoiding any situation that can lead to danger when performing personal protection. If you survive unrest, if you survive a murder attempt, if you get paid and your client is not broke due to fraud, and you got out alive but had to fight, you have lost already.

The law is not on your side; you cannot claim defence and use violence to get out of a situation if you can run away. You are on your own, and if you are on your own.

Remember this rule above every other: rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.– Siegfried Hees

For their participation in the series, EP Wired would like to thank Siegfried Hees and Mashudu Modau.

Find the previous series entries here: