Arrests, illegal guns and robbery probes damage private security sector’s credibility

A spate of arrests, seizures and investigations involving private security officers and company directors has put the sector under scrutiny, raising questions about regulatory oversight and the risk of crime within firms meant to protect the public.

What has happened

Police seized 100 illegal firearms and ammunition at a security company in Soweto, an operation described in reporting on incidents affecting private security firms. Other matters include allegations linking private security operations to murder, cash-in-transit robberies and the possession of unlicensed weapons.

Notable cases and arrests

Evidence presented to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry placed a company called CAT VIP Protection associated in the reporting with Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala at the centre of concerns about blurred lines between private security work and public policing functions.

The reporting also named several other incidents:

• Last October, KwaZulu-Natal security boss Bruce Mhlongo was arrested in connection with the 2022 murder of school teacher Thabani Zondi.
• In Limpopo, a security company director, Makopole Mathunyane, was arrested in December after a joint operation involving the Hawks and Psira; police said the company was operating with unlicensed firearms and ammunition and seized two rifles, a pump-action firearm and ammunition.
• In November 2024, Eastern Cape security boss Thembinkosi Yanta and an employee were arrested after police allegedly found unlicensed firearms and ammunition in their vehicle.
• In November 2024, Mark Kannemeyer, described as a senior private security company official, was arrested during a sting operation while allegedly attempting to sell a firearm to undercover officers.
• In January 2023, a security company boss was arrested after police recovered vehicles allegedly used in an attempted cash-in-transit robbery near Boipatong in the Vaal.

Regulatory questions

Experts cited in the reporting argued that the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (Psira) faces a challenge beyond registering companies and officers: identifying potential risks posed by individuals and firms. The reporting notes that Psira spokesperson Bonang Kleinbooi had not commented by the time of publishing.

Why it matters

The incidents described by the reporting suggest a reputational and operational problem for parts of the private security sector when staff or company leaders are implicated in criminal activity. The involvement of firms in alleged policing functions and the seizure of unlicensed weapons raise concerns about accountability and oversight.

Ongoing investigations

The reporting links several ongoing investigations and court matters to this broader pattern of arrests and seizures, including trials and commission evidence. Specific legal outcomes and further details were not provided in the reporting.