Every conference I speak at, the same question comes up:
“Why is there so much crime in South Africa?” It was the very question I asked when I founded Alwinco. Even with all the modern technology available, crime continues to flourish. To understand why, we must look beneath the surface. # Security Risk Assessment Interference # Alwinco # Andre Mundell # Ospa
Interference: The Most Damaging Factor in Security Risk Assessment
At Alwinco, we focus on providing practical solutions through independent security risk assessments, ensuring every recommendation is objective and effective. One of the most damaging factors in any assessment is interference, which can compromise the accuracy of findings and weaken overall security. Recently, we conducted an assessment for a property in Rustenburg, carefully eliminating any interference to deliver a complete and reliable security plan. Our goal is to provide actionable recommendations that strengthen safety without unnecessary complexity.
If you would like to learn more about our assessments or have specific topics you want us to address, please email your suggestions to andre@alwinco.co.za. We will create and publish articles tailored to your interests on our website.
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In over 20 years of experience, we’ve seen the same pattern repeated.
Many organizations request a security risk assessment, but only on their terms. Corporates, government entities, residential estates, schools, and hospitals often say, “Do the risk assessment, but do it like this.” Most have never seen a proper risk assessment. The moment a client starts dictating the process, independence is gone. At that point, they might as well attempt it themselves, though it will never be a true assessment.
A security risk assessment is a thorough investigation.
It identifies the risks that lead to crime, whether intentional or due to negligence. Like the inner workings of a mechanical watch or the structure of a software program, the process requires a specific sequence to function properly. In every discipline, from baking bread to writing code or constructing buildings, there is planning, then setup, then execution. Security is no different.
The biggest reason crime remains high in South Africa is because this initial step is skipped or disrupted. Despite advanced systems, crime thrives because guesswork replaces investigation. Many decisions are driven by flashy presentations designed to close deals, not solve problems.
The most damaging factor is interference.
It happens during setup, investigation, reporting, and even after completion. The more complex the organization, the more interference occurs. It is like removing a gear from a watch and expecting it to function properly. Some want answers immediately after a short visit, allowing no time for planning or proper setup.
Government and state-owned entities behave no differently. They often hijack the process and refuse to allow time for proven investigative methods. A proper assessment is an investigation into risk, not a blame game. But when the assessor is not allowed to follow the correct path, the end result is flawed.
Telling an assessor how to do the job is like instructing a surgeon mid-operation or telling a programmer which lines of code to remove.
The result will never be functional. Most Requests for Quotations are poorly written sales documents. The accompanying contracts rarely reflect the reality of the process. If we decline to sign, we risk exclusion from consideration. People across the country accept substandard paperwork and dismiss real assessments. A good example comes from a case involving five individuals fearing assassination. We were expected to combine three different assessments into one in five days without any planning or setup payment. From the first moment, interference began and continued beyond completion. This is exactly why the crime rate stays high. The process is disrupted from the start.
In any field, planning is essential.
No engine functions without proper setup. No doctor operates safely without preparation. So why would a security risk assessment be expected to succeed under chaotic conditions? People interfere because they don’t understand. They do not read proposals or follow the roadmap, which clearly lays out the phases, structure, and roles involved. As a result, they undermine their own security without realizing it.
At Alwinco, we are not security or risk managers.
We are security risk assessors. Our role is to investigate, identify risk, and provide risk-specific solutions. A proper assessment includes education, a detailed assessment of external and internal risk, and solutions that cover the entire property, from perimeter to interior systems and procedures.
Many CEOs do not read their assessments.
If they did, they would see the flaws, understand the risk, and know where things went wrong. They would also recognize when outside influence altered the process. This is why security fails. There is no preparation before or after incidents. There is no respect for process. Instead, people interrupt, alter, and often ignore the process. Criminals are far more strategic, conduct research, study the systems that should be stopping them. They attend industry events. They take time to understand your weaknesses.
If inventors spend years building a watch and programmers take time to write clean code, people should give the same attention to security risk assessments.
Yet interference continues. It often starts with flawed documents or unrealistic Requests for Quotations. Setup costs are ignored. We expect people to work for free or hope for payment. This leaves assessors, programmers, installers, and suppliers vulnerable. Borrow from one project to begin another, and when clients fail to honor their agreements, businesses collapse.
People expect installers to work without the correct tools or materials. People often hold installers accountable for subpar results, despite the fact that the underlying issue stems from the conditions they received. The issue is not poor workmanship. The issue is interference.
Interference takes many forms:
- Ignoring planning and setup costs at the start
- Disrupting the investigation or withholding access
- Altering or dictating the content of the final report
- Refusing to pay all involved parties
- Withholding critical information during the assessment
These all cause damage.
When key information remains unshared, even silence can act as interference. This is why many assessments are flawed. People interfere without understanding the process. They ignore critical documents, focus only on price, and disregard the bigger picture. They make decisions without understanding how the system grows or operates. The interference continues through every stage: planning, documentation, procurement, installation, and assessment. It turns the work environment into a disaster. Timelines shift. Expectations become unrealistic. When the system malfunctions, people often place the responsibility incorrectly.
We have more than two decades of experience, a proven methodology, and a detailed roadmap.
Each time someone interferes with that process, they interfere with their security. Every interference benefits crime. Such behavior stems from a lack of knowledge. People do not ask questions. They fail to understand what the proposal says. They skip steps and disregard timelines. That is why South Africa remains vulnerable. Crime is not just about criminals. The real issue is interference. That is what so many people fail to see.
# Security Risk Assessment Interference
Article written by Andre Mundell.