Corporate Security head Kabelo Mantsane joined SA Rail Commuter Corp (SARCC) as general manager for Protection & Security Services in 2006, after serving in different security capacities within the government sector. He says security has become much more complex over the past few years, and this has driven organisations to put additional measures in place. The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) is no exception.
Mantsane says Prasa is working to provide adequate and competent security resources that are world-class and professional, and to implement integrated technological systems to enhance the security of operational capability. "Security is an expensive exercise, but at the same time important as the company may experience major losses if it does not have proper and sufficient security measures in place," he says. "Areas of security concern within our business are physical security, information security and management, ICT security, vetting and security screening."
Rest assured - Advanced security techniques will be introduced
He says that Prasa's security mandate is to create a platform for the company to be able to perform its primary mandate. "Security is generally defined as the freedom from danger or as the condition of safety. In addressing this, we are introducing advanced security techniques to suit the rail passenger transport situation in the areas of crime prevention, incident management, crowd control and customer relations."
He says Prasa is partnering law enforcement agencies, community groups, safety patrollers, informal traders and commuter forums to ensure crime is addressed as a collective. "Corporate Security is training our own members in crime prevention, crowd control and incident management. This is a continuous intervention based on constant security threat and risk assessments."
Mantsane says the company, as a result of the security training and intervention, is able to supply 70% of the personnel required for proper command and control, with 30% still outsourced to private security companies.
