Whether you’re hiring a new employee, leasing to a new tenant or needing to confirm the owner of a property, you’ll need to conduct background checks and vetting. Although it may seem like you’re digging for very personal information, both processes are legal, as long as you follow some very specific rules. 

Due to a rise in CV fraud, background checks and vetting are becoming more popular in South Africa. Many individuals embellish their CVs by lying about their qualifications or their true job history and experience. Because of this, businesses and organisations rely on vetting and background check services to reduce liability and to protect their assets, business, brand and workforces. 

Gravity Risk Consultants offers full vetting and background check services that are conducted ethically and legally, offering you accurate information and peace of mind. We keep a number of factors in mind when performing these services.

• Consent is key. In line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI), we will not conduct any background checks without consent from the applicant/individual in question. 
• The information collected must never be random. All personal information obtained must be for a specific purpose that is directly related to the need for the check. 
• All background checks conducted must be relevant. According to the South African labour laws, background checks must be related to a specific job. For example, if someone has a criminal record for driving under the influence, they will be refused a driving position. 
• All criminal record information is verified by SAPS before being handed over to the client. 
• According to the South African National Credit Act, credit checks may only be conducted on people applying for positions that require honesty. This includes those who will be handling cash or managing finances. 
• Similar to background checks, credit checks may only be conducted if consent from the applicant/individual is obtained prior to the check. 
• Individuals have the right to know why a background check is being conducted and how their information is being used. We maintain complete transparency and are available to answer any questions the client or applicant may have. 

Whether it’s personal or business, an unfortunate reality is that debtors often like to avoid what they owe. In some cases, it may feel like some debtors vanish into thin air. That’s where Gravity Risk Consultants come in. We offer cost-effective, fast and specialised tracing services that will find missing or absconding debtors, ensuring that you’ll get what is owed to you. Thanks to our access to a vast range of data and data sources, we’re able to trace information such as contact numbers, residential information, employment information and any other contactable details legally available to us. 

While we pride ourselves on the effectiveness of our tracing services, we also pride ourselves on adhering to the legalities of tracing. These are the rules we follow to ensure that the information we provide is ethically sourced:

• All of our data collection sources are in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI). When we source people’s information for our clients, we do it legally. 
• We only ever collect personal information that is for the defined purpose.
• We will only collect personal information if the tracing service is in the “legitimate interest” of our client. 
• We will only collect personal information if it protects the “legitimate interest” of our client.
• We don’t charge the debtor a tracing fee as this doesn’t form part of the necessary fees and expenses prescribed by the Debt Collectors Act.
• We don’t charge a collection commission to the debtor as this would be improper conduct. 
• We don’t engage in any coercive behaviour to obtain information. 

In order for our services to be impactful, they need to be ethical and above-board. Gravity Risk Consultants makes sure to uphold these rules to ensure this and to maintain the trust of our clients. 

Contact us directly for your debtor tracing needs.

The appeal of gated estates is clear – safety and security. However, it’s not that simple. There are a number of factors that need to be applied to a holistic approach to estate security, including the responsibilities that apply to the security company and the residents themselves. In a gated community, everyone needs to play a role in keeping one another safe. 

Naturally, most of the responsibility falls on the body corporate and the security measures they put in place. Ensuring safety for estate residents is a process and involves continuous assessment of current measures, research into new technology, and applying what is relevant, affordable and effective. This forward-thinking approach combats knee-jerk reactions and facilitates a well-rounded approach to security for gated communities. Trends have indicated that the importance of vetting has become more popular, with many estates acquiring vetting services.

Everything Gravity Risk Consultants offers is guided by global industry standards, ensuring that we are always evolving and up to date. Our residential and estate guarding services aren’t exempt from this process. Firstly, all of our guards are PSIRA registered, have undergone thorough screening and criminal background checks, and have received extensive training according to global standards. We know exactly who we hire and exactly who is responsible for your safety. Secondly, we monitor our guards electronically using a real-time patrol system. This allows us to make sure that our guards are performing at an optimum level at all times. Should we pick up on any irregularities, we will always have an armed response back-up at the ready. To strengthen security further, our guards will systematically perform vigilant patrols and carefully monitor access control. Another aspect of our offering is security technology, which we evaluate and improve on as trends change. Our team offers CCTV and offsite monitoring, intercom installation and monitoring, alarm installations and real-time monitoring, and the implementation of automatic gate systems. 

Even though the brunt of the responsibility is on the estate, the residents can also play a role in keeping each other safe. It’s important to be mindful of who you allow into the estate, as this could directly impact your neighbours. Avoid allowing friends and family to bring people you don’t know into your home as you can’t vouch for their trustworthiness. If you are renting your home out, make sure to conduct thorough vetting so you know who will have access to the community and what their intentions may be. It’s also crucial to build relationships with your neighbours as this builds trust – you’ll have someone to rely on. Lastly, encourage one another to invest in home security solutions to ensure a united front. 

Everyone has the right to a safe and peaceful life. With estate security and residents working as a team, these rights are a lot easier to sustain and protect.

Blue Valley Golf & Country Estate Case Study

Gated estates are becoming a popular residential choice for many South Africans for one main reason – stringent and elevated security features and protocols. However, despite these security measures, breaches can happen. 

A key area of security that some estates may overlook or not invest enough in is the vetting of their residents and rental guests. This includes the systems for managing visitors. Criminals, especially crime syndicates, are well aware of this flaw and take advantage of it where they can. More often than not, members of crime syndicates will pose as rental guests to gain entry into the estate. 

In January, we saw this exact case take place at the Blue Valley Golf & Country Estate in Centurion. According to a notice sent out by the Security Manager, 

“On Friday afternoon, 29 January 2021, it was established that one of the properties in the Estate, which was operating as an Airbnb, had guests that are targeting and robbing unsuspecting sellers of items over social media, and other electronic platforms.”

The members of the syndicate booked and pretended to be residents of the estate. Once they had convinced the seller that they were residents, they provided him with a click-on pin so that he could enter the estate. Once he arrived at the house, the criminals robbed him of his cell phone, tied him up with cable-ties and left him in the house. 

The homeowners are not at fault as there was no way for them to predict this unfortunate incident. It is, however, a clear indicator of how important it is to not only vet estate residents but all rental guests as well. Vetting will allow you to discern whether the potential residents have clear criminal backgrounds, sound references and good credit scores – all of which should impact their application to buy or rent within an estate. 

Over and above the estate’s responsibility to keep you safe, it’s important that you do your own due diligence. Research the estate and the area thoroughly, find out where the nearest police stations, fire departments and hospitals are, and make time to get to know your neighbours. Ultimately, the onus is on you to ensure your own personal safety. 

Gravity Risk Consultants offers an extensive vetting package that includes:
– ID Verification
– Bank Account Verification
– Drivers’ License and PDP Verification
– Biometric Criminal Record Checks/ID Criminal Record Checks Online
– Credit Checks, Qualification Verification
– Employment Reference Check
– Company Office (CIPC) – Company Registration Number

Get in touch with us to start your journey to even safer estate living. 

Top 10 Tips

As the second wave of the Coronavirus hits South Africa, we will all be spending more time at home. While your presence at home can act as a deterrent to criminals, it’s never a guarantee. Now that you have some extra time on your hands, spend it investing in your home’s safety – DIY style. It all starts with implementing four basic principles: natural surveillance, natural access control, territorial reinforcement and maintenance, which form the basis of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. Here are our top 10 tips to help you elevate your security using this method. 

1. Remove any obstructing foliage, rubbish bins or sculptures that could act as a hiding place for intruders. 
2. You don’t need to sacrifice your garden for safety. Plant low, thorny hedges below your windows. They won’t obstruct your view, and they’ll provide an incredibly uncomfortable hiding spot. 
3. It’s key to keep all areas well lit. Invest in smart lighting. This includes exterior lighting that you can control from inside the house and demand lighting that is activated by motion sensors. 
4. Where lighting isn’t available, install a CCTV system so that you can monitor these areas and cover all your blindspots. Make sure that the cameras are visible so that potential intruders know they’re being watched.
5. Where you can, add extra barriers to cut off direct access. This can be done by utilising multiple security gates on all entrances and to vulnerable rooms in the house. 
6. Take control of your foot traffic. Ensure that your driveway leads clearly to the garage and another footpath to the house. 
7. Should you employ a security service, make sure that their signage is clearly visible on your gate, exterior walls and your home. 
8. Ensure that everyone in your home has a clear sight of all entrances and can access panic buttons easily. 
9. Maintenance is key! An area that is well-maintained shows that it’s cared about and its inhabitants will easily notice any changes.  
10. Lastly, make your home difficult to enter. Deadbolt locks, protective window films and sturdy burglar guards are all great options and will add another layer of safety. 

What role does a Mining Operations Strategy play?

In a growing yet volatile marketplace, it’s abundantly clear that the security of your business assets is crucial. Security risk assessments, the management of those risks, and their significance to the business are key in ensuring its safety. However, some businesses view security risk consultancy as risk itself.

At Gravity Risk Consultants, we alleviate those concerns by providing an informed perspective to security risk assessment and security consultancy in our all-encompassing mining operations strategy.

Businesses are apprehensive of security risk consultants due to undelivered promises, an ever-changing assessment of what risk is, and/or being unable to understand the business itself. In a country like South Africa, potential risks and threats can be viewed almost everywhere and, depending on location, are ever-changing. 

“Threats evolve over time.  A risk assessment performed yesterday might have very different results if performed tomorrow.”- Donn B. Parker 

The reality though, is that risk is the basic metric in security understanding. Risk assessments will help mine operators identify high, medium and low-risk levels, a requirement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000. Risk assessments will help prioritise the risks and provide information on the need to safely control the risks. According to the NSW Government, this is how mine owners and operators will be able to implement safety protocols. 

Not only do we have a proactive perspective towards risk assessment but we fully immerse ourselves in understanding the unique needs and services of our clients. We offer international standard services to mines with a hard focus on providing an optimal strategy to security risk consultancy and management. Our complete mining operations strategy includes:

• Implementation of Security Guarding – Provide PSIRA registered guards for residential, commercial or mining and industrial sites.
• Tactical Proactive Units – Specialized armed reaction units, trained drivers.
• Security Consultancy – Face to face interviews, analysis of your business and application of our tools such as risk surveys to assess its need for security.
• Security Risk Assessments – Extensive evaluation of the level of risk involved in a situation.
• Security Policies and Procedures – Thorough understanding of procedure and policy for a business to protect itself legally. 

We are fully aware of the magnitude of considering the operations of a mine and how it needs to cover all areas. From the security of the business, its legislature compliance, to the growth of the mine itself, our extensive mining operations strategy has taken all of this into consideration and will provide you with an informed strategy that will afford you and your business peace of mind.

If you would like more information or a services quote, contact us now. 

Festive Safety Tips

With December’s arrival, South Africans are gearing up for another frantic festive season. December holidays truly represent a time for families and friends to celebrate the closing of a busy year. During this time, however, it’s important to remain vigilant by keeping your loved ones and your home safe. Unfortunately, the statistics indicate that the crime rate in South Africa increases during this time.

Due to many people going on holiday and leaving their homes unattended and without sufficient security, robberies tend to increase. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) annual crime report released in 2019, violent crimes, armed robberies and house robberies were on the rise:

• 220,865 house burglaries.
• 22,431 robberies from residential premises.
• 140,031 robberies with aggravating consequences.

With all this in mind, we thought it would be beneficial to share some holiday safety advice to ensure that you enjoy the festive season to the fullest.

Firstly, never leave your home looking vulnerable. We suggest leaving some lights on and having a friend or neighbour periodically tend to your garden and check on the house. Secondly, it’s imperative that your home is guarded with security gates as they act as a deterrence to criminals. Though they may not prevent forceful intrusion, a good security gate will provide your home with an initial level of protection. Thirdly, installing a high-tech security system goes a long way. Gravity Risk Consultants offers tailored residential security services that include CCTV systems, access control and diligent patrols.

Lastly, roads are notoriously busy with reckless drivers during this time, therefore you should always make sure that you’re in a fit state to drive and be aware of the drivers around you. In a Business Tech report, it stated that of the 2,915 arrests made on the run over the 2019 festive season, a total of 1,397 were for driving under the influence.

A holiday is most enjoyed when you’re feeling totally relaxed and at ease. We hope that these functional tips will ensure that you have a restful break and keep your assets, property and family protected.

Contact Gravity Risk Consultants for your security needs.

Guarding for businesses 

 

According to a Business Tech article, non-residential crimes have escalated. Since the start of the year, there have been over 83,000 cases of commercial crimes, over 59,000 cases of shoplifting, over 28,000 cases of stock theft, and over 20,000 cases of non-residential robberies. Thus, it’s clear that a security strategy is non-negotiable for businesses, no matter the industry.

Aside from keeping your assets, staff and clients safe, having security guards and security systems visible throughout goes a long way. Our guards will act as a deterrent to any criminals – groups as well as individuals. The presence of guards will also allow for immediate apprehension should your business be under attack.

The presence of guards also creates a great impression. It will imply to anyone who enters your premises that you take the safety of your staff and visitors very seriously. You will get an automatic vote of confidence.

When you choose guards from Gravity Risk Consultants, you’re getting global industry standards. All of our guards are expertly and extensively trained and PSIRA registered to ensure that you receive the utmost highest levels of effectiveness and efficiency. To maintain our promise of effective guarding, we monitor all of our guards electronically. Our real-time patrol systems will alert our control room of anything unusual and are supported by 24-hour monitoring and armed response backup.

A person’s business is its most prized possession and deserves the highest level of security and safety options – Gravity Risk Consultants have the options you need. Get in touch for a quote.

Our Approach

An unfortunate reality of our world is that everyone and everything is vulnerable and a target for crime, including businesses and organisations. Thus, it goes without saying that keeping your business and your employees safe is paramount. However, some workplaces view security in a traditional sense, which is often their downfall. At Gravity Risk Consultants, we offer a holistic approach to Organisational Security to ensure all of your bases are covered. 

“It’s like going to the gym every morning. Every hour of the day, you need to be prepared. And so that means you have to exercise this operational security posture on a continuous basis.” – Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella

Our approach is more than just physical security. We embrace all aspects of security, making sure that there is constant protection, early detection of threats or breaches, and ongoing maintenance and improvements. Our offerings include: 

• Security Assessments: We manage all assessments regarding the risk for staff, resources, systems, finances, operations and more. 
• Intelligence Collection: We manage and organise the collection of intelligence from various departments. 
• Vetting: We perform all necessary background checks.
• Information Support Centre: We manage all the databases we have access to from one centralised point.
• Corporate Investigations: We conduct internal, corporate investigations that cover a range of categories.
• Technical Surveillance Countermeasures: We offer physical and electronic examinations of a designated area. 
• Education, Training & Social/Employee Development: We educate and train individuals in security matters. 
• Policies: We provide expert security policy writers skilled in numerous areas.
• Research & Development: We keep an eye on trends, market changes, and new possibilities and develop projects to action them for you. 
• Tracing: We offer both individual and business/company tracing. 

In short, Organisational Security is part of the cost of doing business, and your return on investment will be undeniable. To find out more, click here.