Event security means trained guards who control the gate, check invitations, watch the parking, manage the crowd and keep the venue and the equipment safe. It is booked for weddings with expensive gifts, year-end functions with a bar, festivals, school events and any gathering open to the public. In South Africa the guards must be registered with PSIRA. Tell us the date, the guest numbers, the venue and what you need guarded, and security companies in your area send you a quote directly.
What event security covers
A quote can cover some or all of these jobs:
- Access control: checking invitations or tickets at the gate, keeping a guest list and turning away gatecrashers.
- Parking and traffic: marshals who direct cars, stop blocking of neighbours' driveways and watch parked vehicles.
- Crowd and floor: guards inside the venue who watch the bar, deal with arguments and escort anyone who is unwell or drunk.
- Cash, gifts and equipment: a guard at the gift table, the bar till or the stage and sound equipment overnight.
- VIP and close protection: for a speaker, a performer or a family at risk.
How many guards you need
There is no single legal ratio for private events, but a common guide is one guard for every 50 to 100 guests at a seated function, and one for every 30 to 50 at a festival or an open-ticket event with alcohol. A 100-guest wedding usually needs two guards: one at the gate and one on the grounds. Add a guard for every extra entrance and a marshal for every 50 cars. Events with more than a few hundred people, or sports and public events, may need a safety plan and approval under the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act. Check with your municipality, and ask the security company whether they have written event safety plans.
PSIRA registration, insurance and uniforms
Every guard and every security company in South Africa must be registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority. Ask for the company's PSIRA registration number and for proof that the individual guards are registered and graded for the work. A reputable company carries public liability insurance and employer's cover, supplies uniforms and radios, and sends a supervisor for larger crews. Guards may only use the force the law allows, so ask how they handle conflict. Do not accept a friend of a friend with no papers: if there is an incident, you carry the risk.
Cost, hours and what to put in the quote
Guards are charged per shift, usually 8 or 12 hours, and rates rise at night, on public holidays and for supervisors. Add travel if the site is far from the depot, and overtime if the event runs late. Build in time before the event to check the site and after it to guard the equipment, particularly if you hired sound hire or a tent that stays overnight. Give the company a site plan, the programme and the guest list size. For a full cost view, see event hire prices.
What to include in your request
- Event date, start and end times and set-up hours
- Number of guests and whether alcohol is served
- Venue, number of entrances and the parking area
- What needs guarding: gate, bar, gifts, stage or kit
- PSIRA registration and public liability proof
Event Security for different events
- Weddings and traditional ceremonies: two guards at the gate and the grounds to watch the gifts, the cars and gatecrashers
- Corporate functions and year-end parties: access control at a launch or year-end function, with a guard on the bar and the parking
- Conferences, launches and expos: badge checks at the doors, guards on the exhibition floor and VIP escorts for speakers
- Birthdays and private parties: a guard at the gate of a house or farm party to keep it to the guest list
- Kids' parties and baby showers: a guard at the entrance and the car park of a large kids' party in a park or at a venue
- School events and matric dances: gate control and parking marshals for a fun day, a prize-giving or a matric dance
- Funerals, church and cultural gatherings: marshals and guards for a funeral, an unveiling or a church event with a large crowd and parked cars
- Festivals, markets and sports days: a full team for gates, bag checks, crowd control and the stage, working to a written safety plan
Frequently asked questions
How much does event security cost in South Africa?
Do I need security for a private wedding or party?
How do I check that a security company is legitimate?
Who is liable if something is stolen at my event?
Event Security by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg