Hi-Tech Security Solutions

printer friendly version Connecting access control, logistics and asset tracking A truck arrives at a busy site early in the morning. The driver looks familiar, the vehicle registration appears correct, and there is a delivery note on the dashboard. The security officer lifts the boom, and the truck enters the site. No data is captured, scanned or validated; access is granted simply because everything looks legitimate. A few hours later, someone discovers that the wrong container was collected.

printer friendly version The terminal at the gate An estate gate is one of the harder places to put a piece of electronics. It is outdoors, runs continuously, is exposed to weather and to people in a hurry, and is expected to last as long as the estate does. BioStation 3 Max is Suprema’s flagship biometric terminal, built for exactly that role. Face recognition works from 0,3 to 1,3 metres and matches within 0,2 seconds, so residents are recognised as they approach rather than after they stop.

printer friendly version Paxton launches re-engineered PaxLock Pro2 Paxton’s re-engineered PaxLock Pro2 launches in late September, bringing the latest evolution of its wireless access-controlled door handle to market. Built to protect straight out of the box, it has been engineered to withstand demanding environments, while retaining a sleek, contemporary design. PaxLock Pro2 is suitable for all standard doors and can be installed internally or on externally facing doors.

printer friendly version From the editor's desk: Privacy or security? Welcome to the SMART Estate Security Handbook 2026. We cover quite a few topics in this issue, but the Information Regulator’s proposed limitations on what can and cannot be done at ‘controlled access’ estates is something that everyone is talking about. Some people initially saw it as totally unacceptable and an attempt to limit estate security, but on closer inspection, it may not be as extreme.

printer friendly version What good estate security looks like in 2026 For most gated estates, the security budget goes on presence. Guards at the gate, cameras on the perimeter, a boom that lifts and drops a few hundred times a day. Presence matters, and residents notice when it is missing, but presence is an input. What residents and trustees actually judge is the output: the patrol that ran, the gate that was manned, the problem that was caught early rather than the one that became a complaint.

printer friendly version Your “POPIA Certification” does not exist A vendor hands over a glossy certificate, complete with an official-looking seal, declaring your business “POPIA certified”.It feels reassuring. It looks professional. You file it away and breathe a sigh of relief. Here is the problem: that certificate means nothing. Legally, nothing. If you are relying on it to protect your business, you are building your compliance strategy on sand.

printer friendly version From camera feeds to action Residential estates have invested heavily in cameras, guards, access control and perimeter protection. One important question is often overlooked: what happens when a camera actually detects something? For many estates, the answer still depends on guards watching multiple screens, interpreting a constant stream of alerts and finding the right information quickly enough to respond. That is where the real monitoring challenge begins.

printer friendly version The human factor in smart estate security Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday estate security in South Africa. From video analytics and licence plate recognition to visitor management systems, predictive patrol planning and AI driven incident reporting; powerful tools are now shaping how access is controlled and how threats are detected and managed.

printer friendly version Integration and management define perimeter security Estate perimeters are long and difficult to patrol, especially in uneven terrain. This has led estates to implement a variety of technologies to protect their perimeters, as criminals are continuously testing for weaknesses and delayed responses to intrusions.

printer friendly version Ignorance is not a legal excuse South Africans rely on private security more than almost any other country. It is everywhere in our daily lives: guarding our homes, businesses, schools, and shopping centres. A substantial portion of this industry is operating outside the law. Non-compliance in private security is not just a labour issue: it is a risk to many of the people who are paying for security services, and yet are unknowingly opening themselves to criminal liability.