FIDELITY ADT
FIDELITY ADT
Taking Care
of Security PRODUCTION: David Napier
As one of South Africa’s largest and most well-known security businesses, Fidelity ADT provides a turn-key security and safety solution for private and commercial customers. As the crime rates in South Africa grow and change, Fidelity ADT remains at the forefront of the industry, innovating to ensure its clients remain protected. 2 / www.enterprise-africa.net
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For South Africa’s large, important and lauded security industry, times are changing quickly. As the nature of threats widens, and as demands on the sector continue to rise, South Africans are forced to choose – go unprotected, go cheap, go international, or go with the best. In the country once branded as one of the most dangerous in the world, the private security industry is titanic. The local police are woefully underresourced and the economic climate, with around 27-28% unemployment, makes for an environment where criminal activity is inevitable. For business, the scenario is no different. You must invest to protect assets – especially in times where every Rand counts. So, who is the best? Which company can secure the people, homes and businesses of South Africa? According industry veteran, and CEO Wahl Bartmann, the answer is Fidelity ADT. “Our mission is to secure the lives and property of our valued customers.
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Fidelity ADT is better placed than ever to do this,” he says. In an industry worth more than R40 billion annually, Fidelity ADT stands as a local business with global expertise. Following the merger of Fidelity Security Group and ADT South Africa in 2017, the group now boasts an endto-end integrated security solution for customers across the commercial, public sector and residential markets. This is backed up by 57,000 employees, and a fleet of more than 4500 vehicles. “Where many security companies only respond to crime incidents, Fidelity works to proactively mitigate crime in the communities in which it operates, and that is a very strong proposition for customers. Fidelity’s airborne helicopter support unit, as well as its canine unit, will provide extra levels of support to our teams while in the field, and allow for the provision of services in higher risk areas,” says Bartmann. CRIME ON THE RISE According to Stats SA, between 16/17 and 17/18, crime statistics across multiple measures increased. Motor
vehicle vandalism was up 26%, theft of motor vehicles was up 19%, hijacking was up 14%, assault was up 12%, damage to residential buildings and housebreaking increased by 7%, and murder and home robbery increased by 4% and 3% respectively. 46% of South Africans thought that violent crime had increased over the past three years and only around 30% said they felt safe walking in their own neighbourhood at night. The banking sector also reported increases in credit and debit card fraud along with rises in other online criminality. Unfortunately, Fidelity ADT knows the market it is in. “We live in a country known for its vibrancy and dynamism, but sadly, not its safety,” the company says. To meet the challenges of the increasingly complex landscape, Fidelity ADT is continuing to expand its operations and has grown by acquisition and geographic expansion. In August 2018, the company announced that it had acquired Londoloza Protection Group, a Johannesburg-based crime prevention
CONNECTING CONTROL ROOMS TO CONSUMERS
FIDELITY ADT
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FULLY BI-DIRECTIONAL SECURITY SOLUTIONS WITH INTEGRATED CONTROL ROOM AND APP FUNCTIONALITY Intrusion and security specialist. Fidelity ADT will expanded its reachAccess in South Africa. residents to visit our premises in order • Safer communities bring unrivalled expertise Systems to Londoloza In February 2019, the company to discuss any concerns, questions or Control customers who have been integrated opened new offices in Meer En See, suggestionsprotection they might have.” • Improved into the Fidelity ADT portfolio. Richards Bay. The idea behind the The newand office is designed to allow • Accessible “To all our new customers, our expansion is to further assist clients for maximum integration with the local relevant technology focus going forward is to build and across Richards BayGlobal and Empangeni. community. Members of the public are • Revolutionising Video further improve on the exceptional At a launch event on February welcome to walk inthe at any time, and the Monitoring monitoring industry service and quality you have come to 15, Branch Manager Rian Buys said: office can also play host to community Surveillance Solution expect. As Fidelity ADT, we will continue “Our vision is to deliver an unmatched meetings and workshops. Situated since 1985 to protect your property, assets and service that will benefit the Richards in close proximity to a number of the loved ones with passion, integrity Bay market. We will be focusing on the Richards Bay suburbs, the hope is that AFRICA’S LEADING MANUFACTURER ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS and commitment based on localised, efficiency of ourOF service delivery as well SECURITY Fidelity ADT can pick up more clients community and cost-effective as the effectiveness of our customer and better serve in existing customers 031 focussed 705 1373 www.idsprotect.com solutions that will keep you safe,” services. The collaboration with our local in the region. assured Bartmann. communities will be key in us achieving In Durban, the company Since the beginning of September these objectives and our launch served announced in March that it had 2018, all customer engagement has as a wonderful opportunity to reiterate launched a new Specialised Response been moved over to run through the this with members of the public. Unit (SRU) to further combat crime in Fidelity ADT monitoring centre in “One of the main reasons for our the city. the new unit is home to two Midrand. Customers are now receiving office moving to Meer En See is to robust armed response vehicles as a more integrated and robust security improve customer accessibility to our well as highly-trained armed response offering and Fidelity ADT has further team. We would like to encourage all officers equipped with a unique skill-
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INDUSTRY FOCUS: SECURITY
set. Fidelity ADT has already launched SRUs in Johannesburg and Cape Town and the team in Durban has started to make progress. “The SRU team is currently operating in the Westville and Kloof areas after our operations team received several reports of high criminal activities. We have already seen a difference being made thanks to the increase in visibility, vigilance and additional patrols by the team. The SRU team has been specifically deployed to serve our Durban communities and we look forward to future successes in combating crime within our district,” said Fidelity ADT’s District Manager for KwaZulu-Natal, Vaughan Pillay. “The Durban-based SRU team has been operating for a few weeks after completing their training at the end of last month. The SRU team will not respond to alarm activations as is the case with the rest of our Durban fleet. The teams will be deployed in areas with specific modus operandi and high criminal activity. The officers will then be tasked to find and apprehend the specific culprits and mitigate any further potential risks. “We realise the importance of staying one step ahead of the criminal element within our operational footprints, and believe that the Specialised Response Unit teams will make a positive impact in decreasing and addressing specific crime levels identified in areas of concern,” added Pillay.
// WE REALISE THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT WITHIN OUR OPERATIONAL FOOTPRINTS // 6 / www.enterprise-africa.net
TANGIBLE IMPACT After the coming together of Fidelity and ADT, customers have been able to see the benefit of having a local but sizeable organisation looking out for them. In the past 24 months, the company has received praise for its work across a number of areas. In February, in Mdantsane, close to East London, a Fidelity ADT security officer was able to apprehend a criminal attempting to steal from a parked car at a residential address. The home owner activated a panic alarm and the officer rushed to the scene, holding the criminal before handing him to local SAPS. In March, Llandudno, near Hout Bay, a security officer apprehended a suspect after his involvement with a robbery. He was identified by the victim before being handed over to SAPS. The speed of the process was praised by the customer. In the same week, while on night-time patrol, security officer Christian Cele noticed an unusual scene with a man walking down the R102 late at night. After questioning, it became clear that the man had been involved in a robbery earlier in the day and was transporting stolen goods. He was held and handed over to SAPS. “I would like to commend Officer Cele for his vigilance and bravery which resulted in another criminal being placed behind bars. Officers are often the unsung heroes of society and regularly go beyond the call of duty to keep our neighbourhoods safe,” said Vaughan Pillay. In April, in Cape Town, a business premises alarm was tripped and Fidelity ADT officers rushed to the scene. On arrival, the criminal was still inside the building and was apprehended before being handed over the police. Cape Town North district manager, Verena Hulme said: “This shows the value of protecting your valuable business assets by installing a proper security system.” April also saw the arrest of a well-known criminal in Sedgefield between George and Knysna. The man was attempting to break into the rear window of a residential property but the
// WHERE MANY SECURITY COMPANIES ONLY RESPOND TO CRIME INCIDENTS, FIDELITY WORKS TO PROACTIVELY MITIGATE CRIME IN THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH IT OPERATES, AND THAT IS A VERY STRONG PROPOSITION FOR CUSTOMERS // quick reaction of the local officer foiled the plan. Having local knowledge of the community also helped as the officer was quickly able to identify the criminal as a repeat offender. In the same week, a car thief was also apprehended in Tamboerskloof after a Fidelity ADT officer found the man stealing glasses and a cell phone from a parked car. In May, Armed Response Officer, Michael Mtshezi, was despatched to a school in Durban to apprehend a suspect who had broken in and triggered the alarm system. Later in the same day, he was successful again, arriving at a second scene within minutes to apprehend an offender who held a member of the public at knifepoint. “Thanks to his quick response on both incidents no one was injured and two criminals have been placed behind bars,” said Pillay. In June, in Richards Bay, an Armed Response Officer was called to a home where armed burglars were attempting to break in with a family trapped inside. The officer arrived, only to be fired upon by the criminals. He gave chase and ensured the family and the home remained protected and unharmed. The common theme across all of these accounts is speed. On all occasions, Fidelity ADT security officers
FIDELITY ADT
// OUR MISSION IS TO SECURE THE LIVES AND PROPERTY OF OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS. FIDELITY ADT IS BETTER PLACED THAN EVER TO DO THIS // were on the scene within minutes and this allowed them to quickly avert any harm to people. Speed comes from adoption of technology which other security providers do not have access to. PTT (Push-to-talk) devices, automatic dispatch system and centralised monitoring help to cut response times dramatically.
The success of the company was recognised in May when Fidelity ADT’s South Coast branch was awarded two Diamond Arrow awards in PMR.africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Leaders and Achievers survey. The company was labelled as ‘the best security company’ and ‘the security company doing the most to fight crime in the region’ and Vaughan Pillay was proud. “Winning two PMR awards demonstrates our continued commitment to providing world-class service to the people of the South Coast. We constantly aspire to provide our customers with the service and knowledge required to take back our streets in the fight against crime. I would like to thank all our loyal customers for their ongoing support,” he said. As a local company that understands each community in which it operates, Fidelity ADT utilises its global expertise to
deliver a seamless service that genuinely adds value to clients. “If you add ADT’s armed response expertise and footprint in the residential market, as well as its security technology solutions, to Fidelity’s extensive capabilities in the guarding, cash solutions and integrated armed response sectors, you have a security firm perfectly aligned for future growth in the Southern African market,” says Bartmann. With Fidelity ADT protecting your home or business, you can rest assured that your security is taken care of.
WWW.ADT.CO.ZA
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Published by CMB Media Group Chris Bolderstone – General Manager E. chris@cmb-media.co.uk Rouen House, Rouen Rd, Norwich NR1 1RB T. +44 (0) 1603 855 161 E. info@cmb-media.co.uk www.cmb-media.co.uk CMB Media Group does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/ or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher. Š CMB Media Group Ltd 2019
AS FEAT UR ED IN
ENTERPRISE AFRICA
AUG UST 2019