What does a security guard cost per month in South Africa?
Straight answers on guarding pricing — what drives the rate, what a compliant quote must contain, and where a suspiciously cheap number is hiding risk you will inherit. Written for business owners, procurement and facility managers.
Standard 24/7 guarding cost per post.
These are Warhawk's standard monthly rates for a full 24-hour, 7-day post. Your final figure may move with site risk, PSIRA grade, location and equipment — which is exactly why we confirm every quote off a site assessment.
| Post type | Coverage | Per month |
|---|---|---|
Unarmed guard Patrol, retail, access control, static post | 24 hours, 7 days | R47 500 |
Armed guard Patrol, retail, access control, static post — armed | 24 hours, 7 days | R49 000 |
Event / temporary detail Per officer, per shift | Ad hoc | Quoted per brief |
Six things that decide what you pay.
PSIRA grade
Grade A and B officers carry higher statutory wages than Grade C. The grade is set by the risk and duties of the post, not by preference.
Hours & shift pattern
A 24-hour post needs roughly 4.2 officers once shifts, leave and relief are covered — not two.
Armed vs unarmed
Armed posting adds firearm competency, licensing, safe custody and higher wage grading.
Supervision & site management
A named site manager, occurrence book and monthly reporting is a line item — and the one most often quietly omitted.
Equipment
Radios, torches, patrol-tracking devices, uniforms and PPE appropriate to the site.
Statutory costs
NBCPSS minimum wage, PSSPF provident fund, WCA and leave provisioning. Non-negotiable, and the true floor under any honest rate.
A rate below the sector floor is your liability.
If a monthly rate cannot cover the NBCPSS minimum wage for the grade plus provident fund, WCA, leave and relief, something is being underfunded. In practice that shows up as unpaid officers, no relief cover on leave days, officers posted above their grade, or no supervision at all — and when an incident happens, the exposure lands on the client, not the provider.
Ask any bidder for their PSIRA registration, proof of PSSPF and WCA standing, and the grade and headcount behind the number. Warhawk supplies all of it up front.
Quote checklist to compare bidders
- PSIRA registration number of the company, verifiable
- Officer grade and headcount per post, in writing
- Shift pattern including relief and leave cover
- Supervision and named site management
- Equipment, uniform and patrol-tracking included or excluded
- Reporting deliverables and escalation procedure
- Escalation and annual increase mechanism
Get a costed, PSIRA-compliant guarding quote for your site.
Tell us about your site and we'll come out, assess the real risk and put a costed guarding plan on your desk within one business day. No obligation.
- Free on-site risk assessment
- Officer numbers and shift pattern costed line-by-line
- PSIRA, CIPC, CSD and PSSPF compliance pack included
- Reply within one business day
Verifiable, not decorative.
Google reviews
Verified Google reviews from Warhawk clients appear here as they are published.
Client logos
Client marks are displayed here once written permission is on file.
Case studies
Site case studies with measured outcomes are being documented and will publish here.
Industry certifications
PSIRA 4788568 • SAPS 26359 • CIPC Reg 2024/490249/07 • PSSPF • NBCPSS • CSD • DOL • SAQCC Fire.
Guarding cost — questions answered.
How much does a security guard cost per month in South Africa?+
Warhawk charges R47 500 per month for an unarmed guard on a 24-hour, 7-day post, and R49 000 per month for an armed guard on the same coverage. An unarmed guard covers patrol, retail, access control and static post roles; an armed guard covers the same roles while armed. Event and temporary details are quoted per brief. Final pricing depends on site risk, PSIRA grade and equipment — we quote off a site assessment.
Why do quotes from different security companies differ so much?+
The biggest driver is whether the rate genuinely funds the statutory cost of employing the officer — NBCPSS minimum wage for the grade and area, PSSPF provident fund, WCA, leave and relief cover. A rate materially below the sector floor usually means one of those is being underfunded, which becomes your risk as the client.
What must a compliant guarding quote include?+
Officer grade and number of posts, hours and shift pattern, relief and leave cover, supervision and site management, equipment and uniform, reporting deliverables, and the PSIRA registration of the provider. Warhawk supplies all of this line by line, plus the compliance pack for tender files.
Is armed guarding worth the extra cost?+
It depends on the risk pattern, not the budget. High-value stock, cash handling, isolated perimeters and after-hours exposure usually justify armed posting. Reception, visitor management and access control on a busy corporate campus often do not. We recommend the posting the site risk supports and price both options so you can compare.
Can we reduce cost without reducing protection?+
Often, yes — by matching cover to the actual risk window rather than blanket 24-hour posting, combining a manned access post with patrol-led coverage after hours, and consolidating multiple sites under one contract with shared supervision.
Does Warhawk charge for a site assessment or quote?+
No. The site walk and the costed proposal are free and carry no obligation. Email admin@warhawk.co.za, call 060 229 8495 or use the form on this page.
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