Security firms wary as ex-BDF officers enter fray
Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday April 11, 2014 12:06
It is understood that the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security licenced Shorland Security Solutions recently and the company is set to hit its stride soon, recruiting and training security guards.
In an interview at the retired soldiers’ Annual General Meeting in Palapye last Saturday, BDFRMA secretary general, Gaboyo Bakwena said military experience would give Shorland the competitive edge over its peers.
“We want to be a security company that will be a cut above the rest and the one that will be able to compete internationally and regionally,” said colonel Bakwena, adding that, “With special forces background, the company will be able to give an international standard security service. The market is lucrative though associated risks are high.”
Shorland plans to approach government, private companies and parastatal entities once it is fully established, challenging for lucrative contracts in a field dominated by several foreign titans and an array of aggressive citizen enterprises.
The security firm is one of several enterprises the BDFRMA plans to establish under its recently registered Cyberlink Resources holding company. Others will focus on information technology, real estate and consultancy.
In response, the Security Association of Botswana outgoing chairman, Gaolatlhe Mudongo said while the retired soldiers had every right to enter the industry, there were challenges ahead for them.
He said the major challenge would be the market’s saturation where it is estimated at least 100 of the 2,100 registered firms are fully active.
However, Mudongo, who is also the managing director of NyNex Security Company, said the existing security companies did not view Shorland as a specific threat.
“There are no threats because their services are different from ours. However, they must be seriously advised because the private security industry is different from what they did when they were soldiers. “This one is different and has two-aspects; operations and the business, where they will have to convince their clients that they can do the job not (simply saying) we have a military background.
There are already well-established security companies in the field,” he said.
Moreover, said Mudongo the market is saturated that some companies were forced to under-quote and thus flout labour laws.
Mudongo and Bakwena agreed that legislation is required for the training of security guards. According to Mudongo, while BOTA accredited security training schools already exist, companies are not legally compelled to take their guards for training.
“We have already set training standards for security companies but there is no legislation binding to enrol our guards,” added Mudongo. Bakwena said the retired soldiers would lobby Parliament on standards for the security industry.
“We have all the expertise as retired army officers and we want to lobby legislators to ensure that security company workers are equipped with special skills,” he said.