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Kidnapping has become a critical security threat in South Africa, with increasing frequency and complexity undermining public safety and straining the capacity of the South African Police Service (SAPS). This study investigates the effectiveness of private security companies (PSCs) in preventing and responding to kidnappings and examines the factors that shape their operational success and limitations. Guided by the primary research question, "How effective are PSCs in combating kidnapping in South Africa, and what specific roles do they play in the prevention and response to abductions?", the research employs a qualitative case study design. It is supported by semi-structured interviews with 12 security professionals, selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Ethical rigour was maintained through informed consent and anonymization protocols. The application of Tesch’s thematic analysis framework further strengthens the credibility and depth of the findings. The study reveals how private security actors in response to the spate of kidnappings, function as de facto “capable guardians,” leveraging advanced surveillance technologies, intelligence networks, and rapid response capabilities to fill critical gaps left by the South African Police Service (SAPS). Importantly, the research identifies systemic barriers, such as regulatory fragmentation, a lack of formalised public-private partnerships, and technological disparities, that limit the full integration of PSCs into national security frameworks. The study contributes to security and criminal justice scholarship by shifting the analytical lens from state-centric policing to the evolving roles of non-state actors (PSCs). It offers practical insights for policymakers concerned with multi-sectoral approaches to public safety and crime prevention initiatives in South Africa. 

This article explores some of the shortcomings of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) in regulating and   effecting control over the Private Security Industry (PSI) in South Africa. In South Africa, all Private Security companies must comply with PSIRA by registering as security providers, however this study revealed a non-compliance.  This shortcoming is demonstrated by fly-by-night security companies that provide security services at shopping centres and shopping malls particularly in the parking areas who fail to comply with PSIRA in terms of registration. The main aim of this research was to analyse whether the PSCs comply with the regulatory framework as per the Private Security Industry Regulation Act 56 of 2001 in South Africa in Gauteng Province.   A qualitative research design was applied to determine whether PSIRA enforces compliance as per regulatory framework and to establish whether the current private security service providers are registered with PSIRA. The population of the study involved security managers and owners of the private security companies in South Africa.  The findings revealed that there is non- compliance to PSIRA by Security providers. It is recommended that the regulator be capacitated with resources to improve its compliance.

The participation of private and military contractors in armed conflicts is the contemporary phenomenon that concerned policymakers and military strategists, particularly Russian contractors. This phenomenon attracts most politicians to set up initiatives and to draw international guidelines to all concerned parties. The purpose of this research paper is to investigate the condition of Russian private military and security companies (PMSCs) in recent armed conflicts. The research is based on the realism approach, which will help explain Russian state behavior towards PMSCs, while the neoliberalism approach will help to explore this phenomenon from the Russian economic perspective. This research applies inductive, exploratory, and qualitative approaches, which solely based on secondary resources and media contents. The main finding of this research shows that those contractors have obligations under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), but the only limitation is the state’s obligation to endorse them.  Besides, it seems that an international treaty between countries could be a practical step towards having a useful regulatory framework.