Vision Tactical director Yaseen Theba said South Africa’s seamless handling of G20 security shows the country can deliver excellence when coordinated.
Theba said the G20 response provided a practical blueprint for modern crime prevention that should now become the national baseline.
South Africa’s successful hosting of the G20 Leaders’ Summit should now translate into sustained efforts to protect citizens from rampant crime, a security expert has said.
“South Africa’s successful hosting of the G20 was not merely a diplomatic accomplishment; it was a national stress test. And we passed it with force," said Yaseen Theba, director of top security company Vision Tactical.
Vision Tactical, an Indian-origin-led security firm, formed part of the security arrangements for leaders and delegates from more than 40 countries who attended the two-day summit, which concluded on Sunday.
Theba noted that as South Africa welcomed 45 world leaders and thousands of delegates, “we demonstrated something South Africans are far too often denied: efficient coordination, decisive action, and an uncompromising commitment to safety.”
He urged that the level of organisation and efficiency shown during the summit be extended to South African citizens, who have endured electricity cuts, deteriorating infrastructure, water interruptions and rising crime, alongside commissions of inquiry exposing corruption within police and intelligence agencies.
“From the outside, the world saw a well-managed summit. But from the inside, from those of us in operations centres, on the ground, in the convoys and on the perimeters, we saw the truth: South Africa can deliver excellence when it chooses to," he said.
He stressed that government law enforcement and private security worked seamlessly as one coordinated system.
“During the summit, crime-prevention efforts weren’t theoretical. They were active, coordinated and effective. The proactive hotspot patrols, intelligence-driven deployments, fast-response capability around key routes, and real-time situational awareness through integrated operations centres demonstrated this," Theba added.
Pointing to cleaner streets, improved roads, restored order and enhanced public safety during the G20, Theba warned that such gains should not be allowed to fade.
He said the G20 approach must now become the national standard.
(with PTI inputs)
