HW Raid guards head out on a mission

On December 20, 2014, HW Raid Security,a joint venture (JV) between China's Shandong Huawei Security Group and Raid Private Security of South Africa, was launched in Johannesburg. It was the first time in the history of South Africa's security industry that a Chinese company had formed a JV with a local outfit. The aim is to provide security services to Chinese businesses and businesspeople in South Africa in what is seen as a broader vision to protect the interests of Chinese overseas investors.

Global protection

The Shandong Huawei Security Group is the first Chinese security service provider to expand outside China. Established in 1993 and based in Shandong Province in east China, home of famed Chinese philosopher Confucius, the company today has more than 20 branches and subsidiaries throughout China with approximately 6,000 employees. 

The group had been mulling spreading beyond China's borders to provide services to Chinese companies and their employees. Since 2012, it has formed a strategic cooperation alliance with its counterparts in Australia, the United States, Singapore and South Africa.

With the fast growth of bilateral trade between China and South Africa, more and more Chinese companies are investing in the African country. According to the Johannesburg-based South Africa-China Economic and Trade Promotions Association, there are now over 100 Chinese companies investing in South Africa's mining, finance, manufacturing, real estate and other sectors. More than 300,000 Chinese and people of Chinese origin live in South Africa.

Violent crime in South Africa - murder, burglary, aggravated robbery, hijacking and carjacking - remains a major concern for both locals and visitors. In 2014, 16 Chinese were killed and another 27 injured in criminal attacks. "We would feel upset every time we heard about the sad news [of attacks on Chinese in South Africa]," said Xun Jinqing, Chairman of both the Shandong Huawei Security Group and HW Raid Security, giving a glimpse into a major reason for establishing the JV.

An HW Raid Security task force

Complementary companies

Raid Private Security is a company with more than 10 years' experience in providing security services. Frans Van Niekerk, Director and General Manager of the JV, said he realized that Chinese companies were making bigger investments in South Africa. Long-term investments needed protection, but while Raid Private Security had the required skills and resources, the main challenge was that they didn't know how to cross the cultural and language barrier.

An opportunity arose in 2013 when Raid Private Security officials met Huawei representatives doing research to explore entering the South African security service market. The JV came into being one year after the initial meeting.

Van Niekerk said to provide the best security solution, one needs a good understanding of local problems, access to information and knowing how to protect clients from criminals. HW Raid Security aims at providing preventative services based on the thinking that prevention is better than cure.

An HW Raid Security spokesperson said the company now has an advantage in providing services to the Chinese community. There are no more cultural and language barriers in communicating with Chinese clients.

The Chinese community in Johannesburg has welcomed the entry of HW Raid Security. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the JV, China Minmetals First Chrome Mining Co., China Zendai Group, and China Xinguang Industrial Group at the launch ceremony.

Wei Zhong, Secretary General of the South Africa-China Economic and Trade Promotions Association, said it is the first Chinese security JV company in South Africa to provide services to Chinese people, Chinese companies and trade associations. "A Chinese security services provider will better understand the needs of Chinese companies and therefore provide more tailored services," he said, adding that with the involvement of Chinese security companies, the risk management and security of Chinese companies can see improvement.

Challenges and chances

As a pioneer in the field, HW Raid Security faces challenges as well as opportunities. It is a challenge to manage a JV with people from different cultural backgrounds and speaking different languages, in addition to succeeding in a highly professional South African security market that has more than 9,000 companies and 400,000 employees.

To help employees adapt to the new working conditions, HW Raid Security offers different training programs for Chinese employees and local staff. Besides receiving professional training in English, the Chinese employees have been learning about the conditions in South Africa and the ways to live and work in this country. The local staff are trained in Chinese etiquette.

According to South African labor policies, HW Raid Security needs to employ a high percentage of local security guards.

Though focusing on Chinese companies, the JV plans to provide security services throughout South Africa and further afield to the Chinese people and Chinese companies across the African continent.  

(Reporting from South Africa)