The roles and responsibilities of the safety and security industry during protest action in Tshwane, Gauteng

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse the roles and responsibilities of the safety and security industry during protest action in Tshwane, Gauteng. These roles and responsibilities include that of Private security officers (PSOs), South African Police Services (SAPS) and Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD). PSOs are the first line of defence for their clients despite being confronted with potentially violent situations during protest action. The private security industry performs functions similar to those of the SAPS however its role in security obligations is determined by the customer, based on contracts and motivated by profit. It is also subject to legal restrictions which include the security function of crowd management that is strictly a function of SAPS. In South Africa, protest action often occurs in places such as government-owned property and universities. However, there is uncertainty regarding the roles and responsibilities of PSOs, in comparison to the SAPS and the TMPD during protest action. The study implemented a qualitative approach and used non-probability sampling, purposive and snowball techniques to select research participants. A total of 31 research participants made up the sample used in the study. Semi-structured interviews were held individually with each research participant. Ethical considerations were actively applied throughout the duration of the study. The raw data collected were analysed utilising the steps of thematic analysis. The process of coding was identified by key words which were categorised according to the relevant themes that emerged from the participants’ experiences as the participants shared their lived experience and knowledge pertaining to protest action. During this stage, the researcher used his notes and transcripts to analyse and interpret the data. The study explored the following key themes: crowd management and crowd control training. It also analysed the involvement in policing protest action, types of protests, protest conceptualisation, the roles and responsibilities of the safety and security industry during protest action, and challenges encountered during protest action. The study reviewed the role of the media, attitudes of research participants, legal implementation, awareness and education, equipment for police protest activity, communication, manpower and resource shortages. Furthermore, it investigated the efficiency of the safety and security industry in policing protest action in Tshwane and carried out observation in Tshwane, Gauteng to record the challenges and details of policing protests. The study's findings revealed that, when it comes to dealing with protests action, the safety and security industry has a variety of challenges, the most significant of which is a lack of resources, manpower, equipment, and communication. The incapacity of law enforcement to use the techniques they had been trained for made it difficult to handle the vast number of protests taking place in Tshwane. Despite the challenges, law enforcement may be able to learn from the best practices of other countries. Furthermore, law enforcement must campaign and raise awareness of the high tolerance levels required during protest action in South Africa and implementation of legislation. The research will be of benefit to the safety and security industry, the community of Tshwane and national governing body, as well as scientific research.

Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakuwukuhlaziya izindima nemisebenzi yemboni yezokuphepha nezokuvikeleka ngesikhathi sokubhikisha eTshwane, eGoli. Le misebenzi nemisebenzi ihlanganisa lezo zezikhulu zezokuphepha ezizimele (ama-PSO), uMbutho Wamaphoyisa aseNingizimu Afrika (i-SAPS) kanye noMnyango Wamaphoyisa KaMasipala waseTshwane (aziwa nge-TMPD). Ama-PSO ayindawo yokuqala emkhakheni wokuzivikela kumakhasimende awo, naphezu kokubhekana nezimo ezingase zibe nodlame ngesikhathi sokubhikisha.. Imboni yezokuvikela ezimele yenza imisebenzi efana neye-SAPS; nokho, indima yayo ezibophweni zokuphepha inqunywa ikhasimende, ngokusekelwe ezinkontilekeni futhi eshukunyiswa inzuzo. Futhi kungaphansi kwemikhawulo engokomthetho ehlanganisa umsebenzi wezokuphepha wokuphathwa kwezixuku - umsebenzi we-SAPS oqinile. ENingizimu Afrika, imibhikisho ivame ukwenzeka ezindaweni ezifana nezakhiwo eziphethwe uhulumeni kanye namanyuvesi. Nokho, kukhona ukungaqiniseki mayelana neqhaza kanye nezibopho zama-PSO uma kuqhathaniswa ne-SAPS kanye ne-TMPD ngesikhathi sokubhikisha. Kwasetshenziswa indlela yekhwalithi noma yesimo futhi kwasetshenziswa amasampula okungewona amathuba, inhloso kanye namasu nawesinobholi asetshenziswa ukuze kukhethwe ababambiqhaza bocwaningo. Isamba sabahlanganyeli bocwaningo abangama-31 benze isampula elisetshenziswe ocwaningweni. Izingxoxiswano ezihlelwe kancane zabanjwa ngazodwana nomhlanganyeli ngamunye wocwaningo. Ukucatshangelwa kwezimiso zokuziphatha kwasetshenziswa ngenkuthalo kuso sonke isikhathi socwaningo. Kwaqoqwa kwedatha engahlungiwe yahlaziywa kusetshenziswa izinyathelo zokuhlaziya isihloko. Inqubo yokubhala ngekhodi ikhonjwe ngamagama abaluleke kakhulu ahlukaniswa ngokwezindikimba ezifanele ezivele kokuhlangenwe nakho ngabahlanganyeli njengoba ababambiqhaza babebelana ngolwazi lwabo oluphilayo nolwazi oluphathelene nesenzo sokubhikisha. Kulesi sigaba, umcwaningi usebenzise amanothi nemibhalo yakhe ukuze ahlaziye futhi ahumushe idatha. Izindikimba ezibalulekile zokuphathwa kwezixuku nokuqeqeshwa kokulawulwa kwezixuku zihlolisisiwe kulolu cwaningo. Kuhlaziywe ukubamba iqhaza esenzweni sokubhikisha kwamaphoyisa, izinhlobo zemibhikisho, ukucabanga ngemibhikisho kanye neqhaza nezibopho zemboni yezokuphepha nokuvikeleka ngesikhathi sokubhikisha, kanye nezinselelo okuhlangatshezwane nazo ngesikhathi sokubhikisha. Iqhaza labemithombo yezindaba, izimo zengqondo zabahlanganyeli bocwaningo, ukuqaliswa kwezomthetho, ukuqwashisa nokufundisa, izinto zokusebenza zemibhikisho yamaphoyisa, ukuxhumana, izinsiza zabantu kanye nokushoda kwezinsiza kuye kwabuyekezwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwaphenywa ukusebenza kahle kwemboni yezokuphepha nokuvikeleka embhikishweni wamaphoyisa eTshwane, futhi kwaqashelwa iTshwan, eGauteng ukuze kuqoshwe izinselele kanye nemininingwane yemibhikisho yamaphoyisa. Okutholwe yilolu cwaningo kuveza ukuthi, uma kubhekwana nesenzo sokubhikisha, imboni yezokuphepha nekuvikeleka inezinselelo ezahlukene, okubaluleke kakhulu ukuntuleka kwezinsiza, izinsiza zabantu, amathuluzi nokuxhumana. Ukungakwazi kwabomthetho ukusebenzisa amasu abawaqeqeshelwe kwenza kube nzima ukubhekana nenqwaba yemibhikisho eyenzeka eTshwane. Naphezu kwezinselelo, abomthetho bangakwazi ukufunda ezenzweni ezinhle kakhulu zamanye amazwe futhi ngaphezu kwalokho kufanele bakhankasele futhi baqwashise ngamazinga aphezulu okubekezelela adingekayo ngesikhathi sokubhikisha eNingizimu Afrika, kanye nokusetshenziswa komthetho. Lolu cwaningo luyoba usizo embonini yezokuphepha nokuvikela, umphakathi waseTshwane kanye nebhodi elilawulayo likazwelonke, kanye nocwaningo lwesayensi.

Maikemisetso a nyakisiso ye ke go sekaseka mosomo le maikarabelo a intasteri ya polokego le tshireletso ka nako ya ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso ka Tshwane, Gauteng. Mesomo ye le maikarabelo e akaretsa le bahlankedi ba tshireletso ya poraebete (PSOs), Tirelo ya Maphodisa ya Afrika Borwa (SAPS) le Kgoro ya Maphodisa ya Toropokgolo ya Tshwane (TMPD). Mosomo wa diPSO ke go netefatsa tshireletso le polokego ya diklelaente tsa bona, go sa setswe maemo ao ba lebanago le wona a dikgaruru ka nako ya ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso. Intasteri ya tshireletso ya poraebete e dira mesomo ye e swanago le ya SAPS; le ge go le bjalo, mosomo wa bona go tsa tshireletso o laetsa ke moreki, ka mokgwa wa tumelelano gomme e hlohleletswa ke profiti. Gape e swanetse go latela dithibelo tsa molao tseo di akaretsago mosomo wa tshireletso go taolo ya lesaba – mosomo wo o dirwago ke SAPS fela. Ka Afrika Borwa, ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso gantsi di direga mafelong a go swana le meago ya mmuso le diyunibesithi. Le ge go le bjalo, go na le go se hlake mabapi le mosomo wa diPSO le maikarabelo a bona ge ba bapetswa le SAPS le TMPD ka nako ya ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso. Nyakisiso e somisitse mokgwa wa khwalithethifi go kgetha dikemedi, go kgetha ka morero le ka mokgwa wa go somisa dikemedi go kgetha batseakarolo ba nyakisiso. Palomoka ya batseakarolo ba 31 e bile dikemedi go nyakisiso ye. Dipoledisano tseo di sego tsa rulaganywa di dirilwe le motseakarolo wa nyakisiso yo mongwe le yo mongwe. Mekgwa ya boitshwaro ya go dira dinyakisiso e ile ya somiswa nako ka moka ya nyakisiso. Datha ya mathomo ye e kgobokeditswego e sekasekilwe ka go somisa dikgato tsa go sekaseka datha ya khwalithethifi. Mokgwa wa go somisa dikhoutu ka go hlaola mantsu a bohlokwa go beakanya datha ka dintlha tse di kgobokeditswego go tswa go maitemogelo a batseakarolo ge ba bolela ka maitemogelo le tsebo ya bona mabapi le ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso. Ka nako ye, monyakisisi o somisitse dinoutse tsa gagwe le dingwalwa tsa gagwe go sekaseka le go hlatholla datha. Dintlha tse bohlokwa tsa taolo ya lesaba le tlhahlo ya taolo ya lesaba di ile tsa sekasekwa go nyakisiso ye. Nyakisiso e sekasekile hlapetso ka nako ya ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso, mehuta ya boipelaetso, kgopolo ya boipelaetso le mesomo le maikarabelo a intasteri ya polokego le tshireletso ka nako ya ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso, le mathata ao ba kopanego le wona ka nako ya ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso. Nyakisiso e sekasekile karolo ya baphatlalatsaditaba, maitshwaro a batseakarolo ba nyakisiso, go bea molao, temoso le thuto, didiriswa tsa maphodisa tsa mosomo ka boipelaetso, kgokagano, tlhaelelo ya basomi le methopo. Nyakisiso e sekasekile gape bokgoni bja intasteri ya polokego le tshireletso bja go netefatsa tshireletso ka nako ya ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso ka Tshwane, gomme dikutullo ka Tshwane, Gauteng tsa somiswa go rekhota mathata le dintlha ka botlalo tsa go dira mosomo wa go hlapetsa ka nako ya boipelaetso. Dikutollo tsa nyakisiso ye di tsweleditse gore, intasteri ya polokego le tshireletso e na le ditlhohlo tse dintsi ge e swaragane le ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso, bjalo ka tlhaelelo ya methopo, bahlapetsi, didiriswa le poledisano. Go se kgone go somisa dithekniki tseo badiredi ba molao ba filwego thlahlo go tsona go dira gore go be thata go swaragana le palo ya godimo ya boipelaetso ka Tshwane. Le ge go na le ditlhohlo, badiredi ba molao ba ka ithuta go tswa go mekgwa ye mekaone ya dinaga tse dingwe gomme ba swanetse go dira lesolo la go fa temoso ya maemo a godimo ao a nyakegago ka nako ya ditshupetso tsa boipelaetso ka Afrika Borwa, le phethagatso ya molao. Nyakisiso e tla hola intasteri ya polokego le tshireletso, setshaba sa Tshwane le sehlongwa sa taolo sa bosetshaba, gammogo le dinyakisiso tsa mahlale.