Fidelity ADT

Last updated

Fidelity ADT
Company type Private
Industry Security
FoundedJanuary 18, 2025;1 day ago (2025-01-18) (after Fidelity bought ADT)
Headquarters Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa
Areas served
International
Key people
ServicesSecurity services
Number of employees
c. 5,000 [2]  (2025)
Website adt.co.za

Fidelity ADT is a South African security company [2] [3] that provides fixed neighborhood security monitoring services (by means of cameras and armed patrols); subscription-based, 24-hour residential and commercial [4] armed response; electronic security installation and maintenance; and other related security, fire, and cleaning services throughout South Africa. [2]

Contents

Headquartered in Midrand, Gauteng, the company has been operating since 2017, when security company Fidelity Services Group (which had been operating for over 50 years) [5] bought the South African operations of another security company; ADT, from Tyco International, for R2 billion. After the sale, the new business was named Fidelity ADT. [6] [2]

Fidelity ADT vehicles in Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa. Fidelity ADT, Tokai, Cape Town 2.jpg
Fidelity ADT vehicles in Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa.
Fidelity ADT armed response officers, and vehicles, in Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa. Fidelity ADT, Tokai, Cape Town 1.jpg
Fidelity ADT armed response officers, and vehicles, in Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa.

History

Fidelity ADT was formed in 2017, through Fidelity Services Group's acquisition of Tyco International's ADT South Africa security business, following approval from South Africa's Competition Tribunal. This deal saw Fidelity Services Group absorb ADT's then-total of 365,000 clients. [6] [2]

In August 2024, Fidelity ADT was awarded two of consultancy PMR Africa's Golden Arrow Awards, for its effort to fight crime, and for its efforts in the security sector, over the preceding 12 months, to stimulate economic growth and development in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. [7] The Golden Arrow Award is given to businesses to represent effectiveness, excellence, leadership, and resilience, as well as to indicate customer service and satisfaction with the company. [7]

Operations

The company has over 5,000 trained armed response officers, and operates 40 branches, which are supported by its Specialised Services Unit; geared towards tactical interventions. [2]

It also operates a Community information Centre at its offices in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. This center maintains a membership network, and assesses statistics and feedback from community bodies, such as neighborhood watch groups. [8]

It provides services to thousands of households and businesses across South Africa, and outside the country's borders. [2] Their services and products include real-time, remote, 24-hour security surveillance via closed-circuit television (CCTV), access control systems, smartphone-based remote home control, license plate recognition cameras [9] , safe home entry service (whereby an in-person armed guard will ensure clients enter their homes safely, on request) [10] , electric fencing, dedicated community control rooms and community managers [11] , patrol vehicles [11] , and armed guards. [4]

Fidelity ADT provides services to over 70% of South African retailers. [4]

Fidelity Services Group is South Africa’s largest Black-owned integrated security solutions provider, with a 51% Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) shareholding, and 100% South African ownership. [5]

The company is a registered, licensed security services provider, and complies with the regulations set forth in the Private Security Industry Regulation Act 56 of 2001 (PSIRA). [12]

Training

All Fidelity ADT team members undergo a strict recruitment and selection process, after which they undergo at least two security clearance checks, as well as a certified psychoanalysis test, prior to being offered an opportunity to join the company. Once employed, all candidates undergo rigorous training, which is maintained throughout their time with the company. [2]

Fidelity ADT's Armed Response Officers are all professionally trained in the usage of firearms, crime scene management, and first aid. [2]

VumaCam SafeCity Initiative

Fidelity ADT has partnered with South African fiber network operator Vumatel to assist with providing security services in Gauteng by using Vumatel's Vumacams to provide a live feed to the Fidelity ADT command and contro centers. [13] [14]

Vumacam operates over 18,000 CCTV cameras, and connects vetted security partners with the South African Police Service (SAPS), as well as with the Gauteng Provincial Government; as part of a public-private partnership (PPP). [15] [16] These cameras actively monitor over 7,000 public spaces across the province of Gauteng, and read, on average, around 12 million license plates per day (almost 7,000 per minute), flagging approximately 55,000 Vehicles of Interest on its Proof Platform each day.

Vumacam's purpose is to use technology to foster collaboration between the private and public sectors. [17] It does so through its SafeCity Initiative, to serve and protect South African communities. Currently, the SafeCity Initiative is active in the cities of Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, and Johannesburg. [18]

Corporate social investment

In terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, among other endeavors, through its Transformation, Social, and Ethics Committee, Fidelity Services Group, has social investment initiatives in place to support education, training, sporting, and other charitable initiatives. [19]

The company operates the Fidelity Foundation, whose goal is to empower communities in impoverished areas to live productive, healthy, and fulfilling lives through Fidelity Services Group's focus areas of education, health, sports, and entrepreneurship. This includes providing grants to small businesses; participating in initiatives that contribute to the reduction of crime South Africa; and creating sustainable programs that will provide permanent life skills, such as training for Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closed-circuit television</span> Use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors

Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point-to-point, point-to-multipoint (P2MP), or mesh wired or wireless links. Even though almost all video cameras fit this definition, the term is most often applied to those used for surveillance in areas that require additional security or ongoing monitoring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private military company</span> Company providing armed combat or security services

A private military company (PMC) or private military and security company (PMSC) is a private company providing armed combat or security services for financial gain. PMCs refer to their personnel as "security contractors" or "private military contractors".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyco International</span> Irish-American company

Tyco International plc was a security systems company incorporated in the Republic of Ireland, with operational headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Tyco International was composed of two major business segments: security solutions and fire protection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ADT Inc.</span> American security systems firm

ADT Inc., formerly The ADT Corporation, is an American security company that provides residential and small business electronic security, fire protection, and other related alarm monitoring services throughout the United States. The corporate head office is located in Boca Raton, Florida. In February 2016, the company was acquired by Apollo Global Management for $6.9 billion in a leveraged buyout. In January 2018, the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Ashcroft</span> British-Belizean businessman, pollster and politician

Michael Anthony Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft, is a British-Belizean businessman, pollster and politician. He is a former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party. Ashcroft founded Michael A. Ashcroft Associates in 1972 and was the 132nd richest person in the UK, as ranked by the Sunday Times Rich List 2021, with an estimated fortune of £1.257 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gautrain</span> Rapid rail transport system in Gauteng, South Africa

Gautrain is an 80-kilometre (50-mile) higher-speed express commuter rail system in Gauteng, South Africa, which links Johannesburg, Pretoria, Kempton Park and O. R. Tambo International Airport. It takes 15 minutes to travel from Sandton to O. R. Tambo International Airport on the Gautrain and 35 minutes from Pretoria station to Park Station in Johannesburg. The Gautrain has 10 stations. Buses, shuttles and midibus services are available to transport passengers to and from all stations excluding the O. R. Tambo International Airport Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brink's</span> Security company

The Brink's Company is an American cash handling company, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Its operations include cash-in-transit, ATM replenishment & maintenance, and cash management & payment services, such as vault outsourcing, money processing, intelligent safe services, and international transportation of valuables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1time</span> South African low-cost airline

1time Airline (Pty) Ltd commonly called 1time was a South African low-cost airline that operated between 2004 and 2012. Based in the Isando Industrial Park in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, 1time operated scheduled domestic and regional services. Its main base was OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg. The name of the company, "one time!", is a South African expression meaning "for real!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nedbank</span> Financial services group in South Africa

Nedbank Group is a financial services group in South Africa offering wholesale and retail banking services as well as insurance, asset management, and wealth management. Nedbank Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nedbank Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in South Africa</span>

Crime in South Africa includes all violent and non-violent crimes that take place in the country of South Africa, or otherwise within its jurisdiction. When compared to other countries, South Africa has notably high rates of violent crime and has a reputation for consistently having one of the highest murder rates in the world. The country also experiences high rates of organised crime relative to other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IP camera</span> Network-connected digital video camera

An Internet Protocol camera, or IP camera, is a type of digital video camera that receives control data and sends image data via an IP network. They are commonly used for surveillance, but, unlike analog closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, they require no local recording device, only a local area network. Most IP cameras are webcams, but the term IP camera or netcam usually applies only to those that can be directly accessed over a network connection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet in South Africa</span>

The Internet in South Africa, one of the most technologically resourced countries on the African continent, is expanding. The internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) .za is managed and regulated by the .za Domain Name Authority (.ZADNA) and was granted to South Africa by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in 1990. Over 60% of Internet traffic generated on the African continent originates from South Africa. As of 2020, 41.5 million people were Internet users.

The private security industry in South Africa is an industry providing guarding, monitoring, armed reaction, escorting, investigating and other security-related services to private individuals and companies in the country. Over the years there has been tremendous growth in the private security industry, not only in South Africa, but also in the rest of the world. The private security industry in South Africa is the largest in the world, with over 10,380 registered companies and over 2.5 million registered security guards of which 556,000 active and a further 2 million reserves; many times more than the available personnel of the South African Police Service and South African Army, combined Studies have shown that South Africa had 2.57 private security personnel for every police employee. This is attributed by some to the country's relatively high levels of crime to a lack of public funds from Parliament towards the South African Police Service (SAPS) or to an increasing trend in many countries towards government outsourcing of certain security functions. Others have suggested the number of high-wealth individuals in South Africa in comparison with the rest of Africa has led to the growth of the industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Security guard</span> Person employed to protect properties or people

A security guard is a person employed by a government or private party to protect the employing party's assets from a variety of hazards by enforcing preventative measures. Security guards do this by maintaining a high-visibility presence to deter illegal and inappropriate actions, looking for signs of crime or other hazards, taking action to minimize damage, and reporting any incidents to their clients and emergency services, as appropriate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring (company)</span> Home security products manufacturer

Ring LLC is a manufacturer of home security and smart home devices owned by Amazon. It manufactures a titular line of smart doorbells, home security cameras, and alarm systems. It also operates Neighbors, a social network that allows users to discuss local safety and security issues, and share footage captured with Ring products. Via Neighbors, Ring could also provide footage and data to law enforcement agencies to assist in investigations.

Primedia is a South African media group, headquartered in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Tyco Integrated Security is a business unit of Tyco International. It is a company specializing in electronic security products, installation and services. The company's principal place of business in the U.S. is Boca Raton, Florida; and Mississauga, Ontario in Canada with over 10,000 employees and nearly 200 offices throughout North America.

African Alliance Investment Bank (AAIB) is "an investment banking group" operating in Africa.

Frontier Services Group (FSG) is a Chinese partially state-owned Africa-focused security, aviation, and logistics company founded and led until April 2021 by Erik Prince, the former head of Blackwater Worldwide. Prince has described FSG's main corporate mission as helping Chinese businesses to work safely in Africa. The company operates logistical projects for shipping routes in Africa, and also conducts high-risk evacuations from conflict zones. FSG's area of service has since expanded to the Belt and Road areas of Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Company Profile". Fidelity ADT. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  2. ↑ Enkosi Selane (December 12, 2024). "Child home alone for the holidays? Here are some security tips". The Citizen. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Our Products". Fidelity Services Group. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "About Us". Fidelity Services Group. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Staff Writer (March 16, 2017). "R2 billion merger deal shows just how big private security is in South Africa". BusinessTech. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Rising Sun Overport (August 7, 2024). "Fidelity ADT clinches prestigious Golden Arrow Awards". Caxton & CTP Printers and Publishers Ltd. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Community Information Centre". Fidelity ADT. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  8. ↑ "LPR". Fidelity ADT. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Safe Entry Service". Fidelity ADT. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Localised Security Services". Fidelity ADT. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  11. ↑ Rising Sun Online (October 24, 2024). "Understanding the difference between neighbourhood watch and armed response services". Caxton & CTP Printers and Publishers Ltd. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Vumacam". Fidelity ADT. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  13. ↑ "SafeCity". Fidelity ADT. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  14. ↑ Simnikiwe Mzekandaba (February 14, 2024). "Gauteng taps into Vumacam's tech to fight crime". ITWeb Limited. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  15. ↑ Terri-ann Brouwers (February 13, 2024). "Vumacam announces crime-fighting partnership with Gauteng government". Moneyweb (Pty) Ltd. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  16. ↑ "About us". Vumacam. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  17. ↑ "SafeCity". Vumacam. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  18. 1 2 "Company Profile - Fidelity Services Group". Fidelity Services Group. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.