Event security covers the hours when a venue is full of people who do not normally live or work there. A wedding on a wine farm, a matric dance at a school hall, a church conference or a music festival all need someone to control who comes in, where cars park and what happens if a fight, a medical emergency or a power failure interrupts the programme. Tell us the date, venue and expected crowd, and PSIRA-registered security companies quote you directly. The service is free and there is no obligation.
The organiser carries the duty
Whoever hosts the event is responsible for the safety of the people attending, and hiring guards does not hand that duty over. Larger sporting and recreational events can fall under the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act (SASREA), which involves the police and may require a safety plan and permit. Ask your municipality or the venue whether your event qualifies, and do not assume that a small gathering is exempt. A good security company helps you write the plan, but you sign it off. Also tell your insurer and the venue owner about the guard arrangements, because some venues set their own security rules and require you to use an approved company.
How many guards for how many guests
There is no single legal ratio, but as a rule of thumb many organisers start with one guard for every 50 to 100 guests at a calm daytime function, and one for every 25 to 50 where alcohol is served or the crowd is young. Add people for specific jobs rather than relying on the headcount alone:
- Entrance: bag checks, wristbands and a guest list, with a separate lane for staff and suppliers.
- Parking: marshals in reflective bibs to direct cars and watch for theft from vehicles.
- Cash and VIP areas: a guard at the bar till, the ticket table or the artist room.
- Floating team: one or two guards and a supervisor to respond to incidents.
Briefing, radios and a plan
The difference between a quiet event and a messy one is usually preparation. Ask the company to walk the venue with you a week before, mark entrances, exits and the first-aid point on a simple sketch, and agree who makes decisions on the night. Guards should be briefed on the programme, the guest list rules and who to call. A radio plan with a named supervisor, plus the number of the nearest police station and an ambulance service, matters more than the number of bodies on site.
Pricing and booking
Event guards are priced per guard per day or shift, and many companies set a minimum number of hours. Expect a higher day rate for armed or supervisory officers, late finishes and public holidays, and ask each company to price the same number of guards and hours. Book early for December weddings and festival weekends. For a venue you use all year, such as a church or hall, a standing contract with security guards may be cheaper than event rates, and a patrol can check the building between events.
What to include in your request
- The event type, venue and date
- Expected number of guests and the hours
- Whether alcohol or cash will be on site
- Parking, entrances and areas to be covered
- Armed officers or a supervisor needed
Event Security for different sites
- Homeowners and families: a few guards at the gate and parking for a family wedding or function at home
- Estates, complexes and body corporates: extra gate officers and visitor lists for a clubhouse function or estate fete
- Offices, shops and retail centres: entrance control and bag checks for a product launch or staff year-end party
- Factories, warehouses and yards: gate control and a guest list for a company open day or family day
- Building sites and contractors: access control for a site opening or sod-turning ceremony with invited guests
- Farms and smallholdings: parking marshals and gate control for a wedding or market day on the farm
- Events, venues, hotels and lodges: crowd control, wristbands, parking marshals and cash protection at the venue
- Schools, clinics and churches: gate and crowd control for a school dance, church conference or community festival
Frequently asked questions
Do I need security for a small wedding?
Should event guards be armed?
Can guards search bags and guests?
How far ahead should I book?
Event Security by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg