Introduction—Security Risk Assessment
Security Decisions: The Hidden Risk No One Talks About
It only takes 30 seconds for a determined criminal to breach an unprotected perimeter. Thirty seconds. That’s less time than it takes to skim through an email that might have warned you about the very security gap they exploited. Now, here’s the real shocker: some of the biggest security failures don’t come from criminals being too smart.
We recently carried out an independent security risk assessment for a corporate office in Cape Town, uncovering risks that are often missed in conventional assessments. This enables us to recommend practical measures that improve the overall safety and security of the premises.
If you would like to learn more about our assessments or have specific topics you would like us to cover, please email your suggestions to andre@alwinco.co.za. We will develop and publish articles on our website tailored to your interests.
They come from decision-makers being too busy. Reports go unread. Critical insights get dismissed.
Security concerns are passed down the chain until they disappear into bureaucracy. If you’re in charge—CEO, MD, or board member—you might think security isn’t your direct responsibility. But what if ignoring it is the very thing putting your business, employees, or estate at risk?
“Throwing the baby out with the bathwater” is the term we use to describe the problem.
Have you ever considered your role in crime prevention? Are your decisions unintentionally creating opportunities for criminals? As a CEO, MD, or board member responsible for critical decisions, you might be undermining security without realizing it.
When asked about the biggest challenges regarding crime in South Africa, my response was clear: the problem often lies with decision-makers themselves.
1. Lack of Time—Failing to prioritize security decisions leads to weak security plans, which ultimately make crime worse.
2. Critical information gets ignored—corporate leaders overlook security newsletters, articles, and even security risk assessment proposals.
3. Passing Down Responsibility—The moment the word ‘security’ appears, the matter is handed down to a security or procurement manager without further thought.
4. No Trust in Security Experts—Security managers often view independent risk assessors with suspicion, failing to recognize the benefits of an objective assessment.
Critical Security Advice Often Goes Unheard
The phrase ‘throwing the baby out with the bathwater’ describes the mistake of discarding something valuable along with the undesirable. This scenario happens all too often in businesses, estates, retail centers, and government institutions, just to name a few. Security insights, ranging from prevention plans to crime trends and strikes, are regularly dismissed. Shockingly, even security risk assessment proposals, which are formally requested, are frequently ignored or misinterpreted.
Misplaced Assumptions and Missed Opportunities
Many decision-makers wrongly assume security risk assessments are sales pitches. As a result, these critical documents are deleted, ignored, or passed along without being read, leading to the loss of valuable insights. CEOs, MDs, and board members, these reports are meant for you to make informed security decisions, not just for you to pass down. The purpose of a security risk assessment is to strengthen security strategies and help prevent crime. Yet, I often wonder, how am I failing to communicate the importance of this information? Why is it so hard to show that these insights benefit your business, employees, residents, and the wider community?
The Role of the Security Manager
When a proposal for assessing security risks is received, it often ends up in the hands of the security manager or procurement team. While delegation isn’t always wrong, problems arise when security managers resist external assessments. There’s a common misconception that independent security risk assessors are there to highlight their mistakes, leading to distrust. In reality, the objective is to provide the people in power with an accurate and true picture of their security landscape. When it comes to procurement, they are unsure what to look for in terms of security. Meanwhile, decision-makers remain detached from day-to-day security concerns. Unlike employees, residents, or security personnel, they are not immediately present during a criminal incident. This detachment is clear in golf estates where board members make security decisions without living on-site, often leading to some of the worst security I have seen.
If the security manager’s errors are revealed and found to contribute to criminal opportunities or even indicate involvement, it is unfortunate. However, the security risk assessment also provides solutions to rectify these problems. The real problem arises when the security manager’s reluctance leads to valuable insights being dismissed entirely. As a result, critical information that could benefit both the manager and the company is lost. Therefore, this reluctance results in valuable insights being discarded along with the problems, much like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Final Thoughts
CEOs, MDs, and board members, I urge you to take security seriously. Read the reports, consider the recommendations, and do your due diligence rather than blindly trusting that someone else has it handled. You might be surprised by what you learn and, more importantly, how much safer your business or estate could be as a result.
Written by Andre Mundell. # Security Risk Assessment De Aar
Our security risk assessment projects are focused on the Gauteng Region, which includes Sunny Side, Bedfordview, Midrand, and Rivonia. Additionally, we cover Bloemfontein, Chatsworth, and Bloubergstrand.