The Private Security Sector suffered uncertainty regarding various aspects raised in the Main Collective Agreement for the Private Security Industry, which plays a significant role in the compliance universe of the private security sector.
One of the uncertainties that our clients often face, relates to the registration and compliance obligations of Installers of alarms and other security equipment with the NBCPSS.
Although careful analysis of the main collective agreement would imply that these installers did not fall within the ambit of the Main Collective Agreement of the NBCPSS, compliant clients were still concerned, not wanting face any enforcement backlash from the NBCPSS as a result of incorrect interpretation.
Our offices addressed a letter to Mr Christiaan Oelofsen the Chief executive Officer of the NBCPSS requesting clarification on the issue in order to put the matter to bed for once and for all.
Mr Oelofsen subsequently provided a response to our inquiries on 5 February 2025 indicating that installers does not fall within the ambit of the NBCPSS as they are included in the definitions of the Main Collective Agreement of the National Bargaining Council for the Electricity Industry.
The definitions of this Main Collective Agreement contains the following:-
“domestic appliance repairer (OAR)” (applicable in the province of KwaZulu-Natal only) means an employee engaged in –
(b) any or all of the operations carried out in connection with the installation of burglar or other similar alarm systems –
(i) connecting cables of electromechanical devices;
(ii) adjusting vibration contracts to pre-set limits;
(iii) soft soldering by hand;
{iv) foiling windows”
It should be noted that these provisions are limited to Kwa-Zulu Natal only. No other mention is made of alarm or burglary systems in the remainder of the Main Collective Agreement.
The collective Agreement applies to “All employers and employees in the Electrical Industry who are members of the employers organisation and trade union, respectively, who are engaged or employed in the industry. (is should be noted the operation of the main collective agreement was extended to all employers and employees by the minister of labour on 2 May 2023.)
Electrical Industry is defined to mean: –
“ the industry in which employers and their employees are associated for any or all of the following:
(a) the design, preparation, erection, installation, repair and maintenance of all electrical equipment forming an integral and permanent part of buildings and/or structures, including any wiring, cable jointing and laying and electrical overhead line construction, and all other operations incidental thereto, whether the work is performed or the material is prepared on the site of the buildings or structures or elsewhere;
(b) the design, preparation, erection, installation, repair, and maintenance of all electrical equipment incidental to the purpose for which a building and/or structure is used, including any wiring, cable jointing and laying and electrical overhead line construction, and all other operations incidental thereto, whether the work is performed, or the material prepared on the site of the buildings or structures or elsewhere;
(c) the design, preparation, erection, installation, repair, and maintenance of all electrical equipment incidental to the construction, alteration, repair, and maintenance of buildings and/or structures, including any wiring, cable jointing and laying and electrical overhead line construction, and all other operations incidental thereto, whether the work is performed, or the material prepared on the site of the buildings or structures or elsewhere;
(d) the design, preparation, erection, installation, repair, and maintenance of all electrical equipment not covered by (a), (b) or (c) above, including any wiring, cable jointing and laying and electrical overhead line construction, and all other operations incidental thereto, whether the work is performed, or the material prepared on the site of the buildings or structures or elsewhere;
(e) the installation and/or maintenance and/or repair and/or servicing of overhead lines and underground cables associated with domestic and/or industrial and/or commercial installations and/or street lighting: Provided that such installation 1s beyond the supply authorities point of supply.”
I have highlighted exclusionary provisions (in my opinion) in red.
Electrical equipment is, in turn, defined to include:
“(ab) generators, motors, converters, switch, and control gear (including relays, contactors, electrical instruments, and equipment associated therewith), electrical lighting, heating, cooking, refrigeration and cooling equipment, primary and secondary cells and batteries, transformers, furnace equipment, radio sets and allied electrical apparatus, signalling equipment and other equipment utilising the principles used in the operation of radio or electronic equipment.”
These provisions may arguably include the installers of security equipment, although the specific reference to alarm installers in the Kwa-Zulu Natal may infer a different opinion.
In our efforts to once again clarify the position of installers we contacted the National Bargaining Council of South Africa and was informed by Mr Kabelo Kodisang that registration with the NBCEI by alarm installers are voluntary and does not fall within the auspices of that bargaining council.
Installers would appear to be subject to uncertainty once again giving true meaning to the adage that a rolling stone gathers no moss.
Installers of security equipment should therefore familiarise themselves with the registration and wage requirements of the Main Collective Agreement for the National Bargaining Council for the Electrical Industry of South Africa.
Please take notice that registration with a Bargaining Council does not retract from their registration requirements with PSIRA.
We will make further posts to update our clients on our endeavours.
