South Africa | Search and Seizure at Security Sector Regulator Over R130 Million Training Contract | CUAC

Civil Union – Follow-up South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU), in cooperation with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), conducted a search-and-seizure operation at the premises of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) in Centurion, Pretoria. The SIU said the operation forms part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of maladministration and improper or unlawful conduct in the procurement of training services worth approximately R130 million. The investigation covers contracts for training election observers, end-user computer training, and training for security officers from grades E to C, targeting approximately 7,071 trainees across nine provinces. The unit said it obtained a search-and-seizure warrant from the Special Tribunal on 17 September 2026, after PSIRA failed to provide all the documents requested by investigators. The SIU noted that the documents provided were missing records covering an entire year within the period under investigation. The operation resulted in the seizure of documents and electronic devices, including mobile phones and computers, to support the ongoing investigation. The SIU stressed that the operation does not mean that any wrongdoing or criminal conduct has been proven, adding that any evidence indicating criminal activity will be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for appropriate legal action. Source: South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and government news agency SAnews.