Red Alert faces fine in client row

Red Alert Security company risks being fined by the industry’s regulator for breaking its own rules when it shared a client’s sensitive information with a third party without consent.

Deputy communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams accused the company of transferring her address, bank and contact details to Protek Security Systems, which took over its alarms unit in Mthatha this month.

She said this action compromised her safety and that of her family.

According to a clause in the contract signed with the minister, the company promised to behave in a way “coincidental” with the practices of the security profession.

“All information provided by the customer will always be treated as confidential,” the contract states.

On Monday, Red Alert operations manager Alistair Bleach angrily insisted his company had sent all clients e-mails or postal letters informing them of the change of guard before transferring their details to the new company.

Yesterday, Bleach did not respond to an e-mail and messages requesting a copy of the letters sent to Ndabeni-Abrahams. He could also not be reached for comment as his cellphone was switched off and there was no reply to messages left with his office.

According to the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), a company may be fined between R1000 and R10000 for sharing a clients’ personal details.

PSIRA spokeswoman Siziwe Zuma said companies would be guilty of “improper conduct” for transferring client details if the contract prohibited this. She added that companies had an “obligation” to tell clients about any changes affecting them. – loyisom@dispatch.co.za