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We are committed to leveraging our resources to uplift education, empower communities and contribute to a brighter future. Together, let us continue to make a difference through the power of education.
Our assistance in paying Ms Zulu’s registration fee is just one example of how we strive to make a positive impact on individuals’ lives. We believe that by investing in education, we are investing in a brighter future for all.
“If Adamastor Consulting didn’t assist me, I wouldn’t have gone this far” – Pinky Zulu.
We wish them the best of luck in their future matches!
Adamastor Consulting cc is a firm of Consulting Engineers, established in 1997. The company offers professional Electrical and Security Consulting services, including full professional design, documentation and construction supervision. Our Managing Member is Derick Serfontein.
Information Officer : Derick Serfontein
Deputy Information Officer : Leoni Botha
Introduction
We are committed to compliance with the POPI Act, which requires us to comply with both the law and good practice, respect individuals’ rights, be open and honest with individuals whose data is held and provide training and support for staff who handle personal data, so that they can act confidently and consistently. All employees are responsible for adhering to this policy and for reporting any security breaches or incidents to the Information Officer.
Accountability
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information obtained from individuals are stored safely and securely.
This includes :
Identifying information, such as name, date of birth or identification number of any kind;
Contact information, such as phone number or email address;
Address information, such as physical or postal address;
Information gathered from resumes, qualifications and any other personal information that may be obtained for business purposes.
Processing Limitations
Should we collect personal information from an individual, we will only release this information with their consent. Personal information is collected for a specific, explicitly defined and lawful purpose related to a function or activity of the responsible party.
Limitation on Further Processing
Personal information may not be processed further in a way that is incompatible with the purpose for which the information was collected initially.
An individual is entitled to a right to be forgotten. We will delete any personal data that an individual does not want us to have.
Transparency
Where personal information is collected from a source other than directly from an individual (eg. Websites), we are responsible for ensuring that the individual is aware that their information is being collected, who is collecting their information by giving them our details, as well as the specific reason we are collecting their information.
Security Safeguards
We are currently working on the Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium System, which provides the following protection :
- All our information is stored on OneDrive.
- We utilize a 2-factor Authentication.
- Information is encrypted.
- We get notified immediately of any breach in the system.
All stored information is encrypted in transit and at rest or protected with MFA.
We make use of the Microsoft Compliance Centre which manages data categorized by level of sensitivity.
Archiving
All data stored in the system is backed up and archived at a 3rd party service, hosted on a different platform to the main platform. All mail, including deleted email, is archived.
Accuracy
We will regularly review our procedures to ensure that records remain accurate and consistent. Data on any individuals will be held in as few places as necessary and effective procedures will be in place so that all relevant systems are updated when information about an individual changes.
Staff Training and Acceptance of Responsibilities
We will provide opportunities for staff to explore POPI Act issues through training, team meetings and supervisions.
We will ensure that all staff sign acceptance of this policy once they have had a chance to understand the policy and their responsibilities in terms of the policy and the POPI Act.
Unauthorised Disclosure
We cannot accept any liability whatsoever for unauthorized or unlawful disclosure of any personal data by third parties who are not subject to our control.
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Mr K P Mdlalose Pr.Eng.
It gives us great pleasure to congratulate Mr Phumlani Mdlalose on obtaining his Professional Engineer (Pr. Eng.) qualification on 19 June 2019.
Phumlani completed his studies at University of KwaZulu Natal in July 2014 and obtained Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Electrical Engineering. He was appointed as a Candidate Electrical Engineer at the KZN Department of Public Works in October 2014.
Adamastor Consulting was appointed by the KZN Department of Public Works to employ Phumlani to gain practical experience in the electrical engineering field, which assisted in him obtaining his Pr. Eng. qualification. Phumlani worked at Adamastor Consulting from May 2015 to June 2018.
Phumlani, we are proud to have been a part of your journey and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors!
The company name changed from Rob Anderson and Associates to Adamastor Consulting and in March, Derick Serfontein joined the company as a 50% shareholder.
An opportunity has now arrived for work outside of South Africa. With this in mind, Rob Anderson will be relocating to the UK in December, to have a presence in the region. He will be commuting between the UK and South Africa, as the business demands. Should you wish to make any arrangements with Rob, please liaise with Leoni in this regard (leoni@adamastor.co.za).
We are also delighted to announce that Mthandeni Phakathi will be joining us on 1 November 2017. He has completed his studies and looks forward to getting the experience required for Professional Registration.
We look forward to continuing our relationships with existing clients and bringing on new clients.
]]>Has much changed since then? Unfortunately, the answer is no. For those of us who watched the transition from analogue tape recording to digital recording, it was difficult to identify the “tipping point”. The tipping point being when product maturity and economics make the transition a wise choice.
That is, of course, assuming you are not just an early adopter and you live at what has become known the “bleeding edge”, regardless of the costs.
The last 12 months have seen a number of significant changes that continue to play out:
- Improvements in Video Management Software for the IP platform.
- Some sanity internening in the mega pixel arms race. Solutions with ever more pixels are not always necessarily the best choice.
- Thermal cameras coming of age and pricing becoming favourable.
- A number of video analytic products fighting for space in the market. This has contributed to camera and recorder companies undertaking buy-outs to include analytics as part of the offering.
- The analogue providers fighting back and holding a reasonable market share.
- The arrival of Serial Digital Interface (SDI) or HD-SDI as a challenge to the market.
With all the activity and changes, we still see the underlying convergence of the traditional security service provider with the IT industry provider. When the strengths of both industries become a standard, then we will be on a sustainable path to success.
If you are in the business of providing a service in this vibrant industry, be it consulting, supplier, installer or even end user, it can only be confusing. You have no sooner received the “best advice”, when the phone rings to tell you it is wrong and “this is the advice you need”. The industry still seems to have this SI unit of measurement called “best”. Luckily everybody sells “the best” product!
To make matters worse, you can wake up in the morning to find that the product you sell has sold out its business to your opposition.
And then, when the project is completed and handed over to the client, one or both of the following occurs :
- The client says this is not what they expected to see.
- The system is not operated and managed properly. In fact, the technology has moved past the manager and operator. Their efficiency has fallen and they are not too happy at all.
With one or both of these, the client has doubts or is totally unhappy and so plans the next upgrade with your opposition.
In reality, the same problem exists, in part anyway, in the process control industry. The only major difference is that this industry has been around a lot longer, has a multitude of standards to work to and has gone a long way towards solving the misery with the client at the end.
So, how do they do it?
There are a number of reasons for their higher success rate:
1. Proof of Concept
In many cases, the proposed solution has either been done before and is just replicated, or the concept is proved to the client as a working solution. The proof of concept phase ensures that the sales team’s dream can also survive reality. In many cases the proof of concept phase picks up problems that force everybody back to the planning stage. Better to catch these problems early, rather than after the installation is complete.
2. Functional Specification
Imagine you have just received a big order and before you start just plugging in product, you sit down and write a proper functional specification. It would add so much value.
The specification must tell the client exactly what they are getting, by typically :
- Defining the installation.
- Providing a job description for each camera.
- Listing all the equipment and defining its purpose.
- Describing the layout of the control room.
- The plan for handling power failure.
- How to make copies of video material for evidence.
- How the system will be operated.
- Defining maintenance requirements.
… and so on.
And when it is completed, you go through it with your client and obtain formal sign off. This document then goes to your installer, commissioning technician and operational staff which will mean that they will be ready to do it right the first time.
If you can’t write a functional specification, then you will not build your system successfully. If you can’t describe the operation, then you are not a solution provider. Proper design and planning are essential.
The process control industry has been doing this for many years. Complex process plant would never have been successful without this approach.
So, as our vibrant industry works hard to mature and provide good results, it may be time to learn from others who have developed a tried and tested approach that works and start doing proper proof of concept and functional specifications.
It will only be difficult to begin with, then it will become common practice and perhaps even second nature, just like in the process control world.
Let’s see who will be the first to set the standard for functional specifications for the CCTV industry. It will be a revolutionary change that will see seriously improved outcomes for end users and bring much higher quality to the systems that are installed.
]]>And then you bump into a recent CCTV installation owner who is excited about the new investment. The key words are IP, mega pixel, high resolution, fully digital and more recently video analytics.
So you ask the new owner how it was decided to place cameras and what technology and system set up was selected. This is usually the end of the discussion or if there has been some thought put into the solution, an exciting discussion on the risk analysis, defining the threats and development of a security plan is described.
If all is well, the conversation goes on to describe the careful integration of manpower and electronics to have an integrated solution. This all led to the careful selection, position and setup of the system! Wonderful.
Well sadly, the above, to be expected process is not often followed and there is a certain amount of confusion regarding the reason for such questioning.
The very same client/supplier would however never place security guards at posts without carefully checking how much it costs and what the job description of each guard is.
So why don’t we do the same for all the security components, access control, CCTV, alarms etc.
It’s just that we have forgotten that the electronics is performing a similar task to a person, placed at the same position, but with clear instructions or a “job description”.
So, it is time to integrate all CCTV designs by having a Job Description for each camera. If there is no job description then you don’t need a camera.
The development of a job description can be a tedious process, but well worth the exercise. It also leaves a record of the CCTV “battle plan”, as envisaged by the designer, for the operational staff to understand and use efficiently.
And how do you develop such a job description? The most efficient approach for compiling this document is to tabulate the requirements for each camera. For each camera you ask the following questions :
WHAT : Must the camera do and produce.
WHEN : Must the camera do what is required.
WHY : Is this video data required.
WHERE : Must the camera be looking.
HOW : Is the requirements going to be made available.
You may think that there cannot be so much that can be defined about a particular camera.
When you list all the possible variables, it is a fairly long list. As a start, here are a few :
- Colour or black & white, or both.
- Frame rate.
- Fixed, varifocal or telephoto lens.
- Motion detection.
- Recording – full, timed, on motion.
- Lighting requirements.
- Angle of view.
- Storage period required.
- Storage specification – frame rate, resolution.
- Video loss alarm.
- Alarm to record.
- Access event recording.
- Number plate recognition.
and so it goes on.
Well, it is time to put all your cameras to work and give them a full job description. The result? The correct camera, in the correct position, doing the correct job, and hopefully a reduction in crime.
]]>By Rob Anderson (Pr Eng)
We find ourselves faced with rising crime, and pressure to implement increasingly advanced technical solutions, to reduce the risk of becoming a crime statistic. Understanding crime and the route to successful prevention is a goal for all of us. Most of us have come to believe that you can buy a solution that will prevent crime.
The truth is that you can’t buy a security solution. Any purchase will be just one of the pieces in the security puzzle. People cause crime and ultimately it will have to be people that prevent crime. If technology, then, is just one of the components in the plan, what else can we do?
Have you ever wondered why the criminal chose a particular target? There has to have been a good reason.
There are many factors that influence that decision. The least obvious, though well researched, of these is the local environment, urban design and “Work Place” that we give the criminal to work in. Much of this theory was first presented by architect Oscar Newman, in his book: Defensible Spaces.
This has led to the concept of CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (CPTED).
It is well worth understanding the basics of this theory. The author has had firsthand experience of witnessing actual crime trends agreeing with the theories of CPTED and although an engineer by profession he uses the concepts in the development of security plans with great success. The technology and manpower elements are used to strengthen and compliment the environmental components of the security solution.
We have all found ourselves in a situation where we have found ourselves afraid or uncomfortable, and moved away from the area that caused this feeling. There is a good chance that the reason for the feeling is due to something about the immediate environment. There is also a good chance that the same place would be comfortable to a criminal. So we need to be able to build and maintain CRIMINAL UNFRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS.
Some the key factors are:
Natural Surveillance:
Natural surveillance increases the threat of interruption by taking steps to increase the feeling that people can be seen. Natural surveillance occurs by designing the placement of physical features, activities and people in such a way as to maximize visibility and promote positive social interaction among legitimate users of private and public space. Potential offenders feel increased scrutiny and limitations on their escape routes.
- Place windows overlooking roads, paths and parking lots.
- Leave window curtains open unless you need privacy.
- Use passing traffic and people as a surveillance asset.
- Create landscape designs that provide surveillance, especially in proximity to points of normal entry and potential criminal points of entry.
- Use the lowest, most transparent fence appropriate for the situation.
- When choosing and placing lighting, avoid poorly placed lights that create blind-spots for potential observers. Ensure potential problem areas are well-lit: pathways, stairs, entrances/exits, parking areas, ATMs, children’s play areas, recreation areas, pools, storage areas, etc.
- Avoid too-bright security lighting that creates blinding glare and/or deep shadows, hindering the view for potential observers. Eyes adapt to bright lighting quickly but have trouble adjusting to low level lighting quickly. Using lower intensity lights often requires more fixtures. Your eyes will be set up for the bright areas and not see the dark areas.
- Place lighting along pathways and other pedestrian-use areas at proper heights for lighting the faces of the people in the space (and to identify the faces of potential attackers).
Natural surveillance measures can be complemented by technical solutions. For example, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras can be added in areas where natural surveillance is not available.
Natural Access Control:
Natural access control reduces the opportunity for crime by taking steps to clearly differentiate between public space and private space. By selectively placing entrances and exits, fencing, lighting and landscape to limit access or control flow. Examples are:
- Use of a single, clearly identifiable, point of entry
- Use structures to divert persons to reception areas
- Incorporate maze entrances in public restrooms. This avoids the isolation that is produced by an anteroom or double door entry system
- Use low, thorny bushes beneath ground level windows.
- Eliminate design features that provide access to roofs or upper levels
- In front gardens, use mesh or picket-type fencing along residential property lines to control access and encourage surveillance.
- Have a locked gate between front and back gardens.
- Use shoulder-level, open-type fencing along adjoining residential property lines. They should be maintained with low level landscaping to promote social interaction between neighbours.
Territorial Reinforcement:
Territorial reinforcement promotes the feeling of ownership. An environment designed to clearly
define private space does two things.
- First, it creates a sense of ownership. Owners have a vested interest and are more likely to challenge intruders or report them to the police.
- Second, the sense of owned space creates an environment where “strangers” or “intruders” stand out and are more easily identified. By using buildings, fences, pavement, signs, lighting and landscape to express ownership and define public, semi-public and private space, natural territorial reinforcement occurs. In addition the allocation of space to designated users has the same effect.
So what else can be done to send out the message that this place belongs to somebody?
- Well maintained premises and landscaping such communicates an alert and active presence occupying the space.
- Display security system signage at access points.
- Placing amenities such as seating for refreshments in common areas in a commercial or institutional setting helps to attract larger numbers of desired users.
- Scheduling activities in common areas increases proper use, attracts more people and increases the perception that these areas are controlled.
Territorial reinforcement measures make the normal user feel safe and make the potential offender aware of a substantial risk of arrest or scrutiny.
Maintenance
Good maintenance presents the image of ownership of property. Deterioration indicates less control by the intended users of a site and indicates a greater tolerance of disorder.
The “Broken Windows” Theory explains the theory of maintenance in deterring crime. The Broken Windows theory requires a zero tolerance approach to property maintenance, observing that the presence of a broken window will entice criminals to break more windows in the vicinity. The sooner broken windows are fixed, the less likely it is that such vandalism will occur in the future.
Activity Support and Multi-use Spaces
Activity Support and Multi-use Spaces increases the use of a built environment for safe activities. This results in the spaces being occupied for longer periods, increasing the risk of detection of criminal and undesirable activities. Natural surveillance by the intended users is casual and there is no specific plan for people to watch out for criminal activity.
The Way Forward
CPTED strategies are most successful when they inconvenience the end user the least and when the CPTED design process relies upon the combined efforts of environmental designers, property owners, community leaders, and law enforcement personnel.
CPTED is a deterrent strategy and not the final and only solution. Research demonstrates that offenders cannot be literally prevented from committing crimes by using CPTED. CPTED relies upon changes to the physical environment that will cause an offender to make certain behavioural decisions. Those changes are crafted so as to encourage behaviour, and thus they deter rather than conclusively “prevent” behaviour. Thus, just like technology and manpower, CPTED is another weapon in the security planner’s arsenal.
The introduction of “Second Generation CPTED” should make constructive attempts to enhance social cohesion and build a strong sense of community to impact the motives that cause crime in the first place.
Beyond the attraction of being cost effective in lowering the incidence of crime, CPTED should reduce the overall costs of preventing crime. Altering an existing environment to meet CPTED can sometimes be costly, but when incorporated in the original design phase, cost of designing to CPTED principles are often lower than with traditional approaches.
What are the obstacles to the adoption of CPTED?
- Firstly: a lack of knowledge of CPTED by designers, owners, and individual community members. For this reason, education is required with case studies of the successes.
- The second major obstacle is resistance to change. Many people specifically resist the type of cooperative planning that is required to use CPTED. The average South African has grown up living with the exact opposite to the CPTED principles.
- The third obstacle is that many existing built areas were not designed with CPTED in mind, and modification would be expensive, politically difficult, or require significant changes in some areas of the existing built environment.
The above concepts are well covered in good books and on the Internet. They offer a good opportunity to provide a solution that improves security and lifestyle in the urban environment.
The Author
The author, Rob Anderson, is a registered Professional Engineer. His consulting practice, Rob Anderson and Associates (RAA), specializes in security and electrical engineering, with an emphasis on developing total solutions. This requires extensive knowledge of the environmental, technical, manpower and management of security solutions. RAA prides itself on the degree of expertise that it enjoys in these fields and works constantly to ensure that it remains at the leading edge of developments in them. The practice consults both locally and overseas, working closely with clients to develop relevant security solutions.
He can be contacted by telephone on 031-2674150, or e-mail: nibor@icon.co.za
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