Huge Change Coming for Security Guards Scanning IDs at Estates and Offices Across SA

• Hundreds of thousands of security guards across South Africa lack proper training under data protection law
• Law firm director Cor van Deventer warned guards and receptionists now count as legal data processors
• New Information Regulator rules mean estates and offices must appoint officers or risk fines up to R10 million

Hundreds of thousands of security guards working at gates across South Africa are not properly trained to handle visitors’ personal information under POPIA. This is according to a report by MyBroadband, which spoke to law firm director Cor van Deventer about the growing compliance gap.

Van Deventer explained that guards, receptionists, boom operators and parking attendants are now treated as official data processors. He said this group has never received training on proportionality, retention rules or deletion protocols. Yet they process visitor registers, ID documents and licence plate details every single day.

New rules target gates across the country

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The issue also covers biometric scanners and CCTV systems used at access points nationwide. South Africa’s Information Regulator released a draft Code of Conduct back in April this year. The code sets out strict rules for processing personal information at gated entrances.

Only names, visit purpose, vehicle registration and entry times should be collected at gates. Copying ID documents, home addresses or phone numbers is now considered non-compliant behaviour. Visitors who feel their data is at risk can report the issue directly to the regulator.

Van Deventer flagged the scale of the problem across estates, malls, schools and medical facilities. He estimated that the country has over 1.2 million CCTV cameras positioned near access points. Around 60% of large estates reportedly use fingerprint or facial recognition systems already.

Trustees, landlords and property managers will now need to appoint dedicated information officers. They must build compliance frameworks, keep proper records and train every staff member. Security companies can no longer rely on generic contracts to avoid responsibility for breaches. Non-compliant bodies could face administrative fines reaching R10 million, depending on severity.

The story sparked mixed reactions from South Africans online, with many questioning the new rules. Some pointed out that licence plates already display personal information publicly to anyone nearby. Others argued that scanning is simply a faster replacement for the old visitors' book system.

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See the report below:

Source: Briefly News