Factors That Contribute to Human Security Risks at Eskom Facilities in South Africa

Abstract

Security officials deployed at Eskom facilities are expected to meet high standards of character and loyalty because they frequently handle confidential documents and assets of value, and occupy positions of great trust. The urgent need to have a competent and properly trained private security service, sometimes referred to as private police, is always a topical issue on the agendas of businesses making use of private security in South Africa. Eskom being a national provider of electricity to private homes and business in South Africa, depends greatly on contracted private security companies to provide security to its Physical Protection Systems (PPS). The behaviour patterns of certain security officials deployed at Eskom sometimes gives rise to certain human risks, which result in criminal and policy violations. The aim of this article was to identify the factors that contribute to the human risks, so that they can be mitigated. The study used primary and secondary data to identify factors that gave rise to the human risks at Eskom. Although the study was concentrated in KZN, the findings are generalised to include South Africa. It was found that many of the human risks were related to the behaviour of individual security officials. It is suggested that there should be meaningful engagement between Eskom management, and the contracted security companies to put in place security risk control measures to mitigate these human risks.