Members of the SAPS raid the offices of the Calvin and Family Security Services in Durban on Friday

[News]

Private security magnate Calvin Mathibeli has strongly criticized the South African Police Service (SAPS) for what he described as highly inappropriate and unprofessional behavior following a raid on his company’s offices in Durban last Friday.

CCTV footage from the incident shows officers from the South African Police Service arriving at the premises of Calvin and Family Security Service (CFS).

The video captures police forcing entry and confronting a security guard, insisting he surrender his firearm.A physical struggle ensued when the guard refused to hand over his weapon, with officers attempting to wrest it from him.

One officer was recorded shouting profanities in English, isiZulu, and Sesotho from the main gate, berating the guard and asserting their authority as law enforcement.

The officer reportedly said something along the lines of: “Hey chief, do you understand that we are law enforcers and you refused to open the gate? We are going to enter here and arrest you for disobeying police officers.”

Once inside, the officers allegedly confined staff members to the boardroom, effectively holding them against their will.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the unannounced visit was intended as a routine inspection of firearm compliance.

However, employees described the officers' approach as aggressive and intimidating.One staff member recounted: “The police said they were from national level and were there to check firearms.

We had no issue with a legitimate inspection—it's standard procedure. But their behavior was completely unacceptable. They intimidated us, threatened arrests, and created unnecessary fear.”

Footage also shows around seven officers entering a control room, searching the area, and challenging one guard over his competency certificate for possessing a firearm.

The guard insisted he had the required documentation, sparking a heated dispute.Employees said they asked the officers to return when management was present, but the police refused and continued making arrest threats.

Staff claimed they were detained for hours, unable even to use the restroom, and were subjected to ongoing verbal abuse—treated more like serious offenders than employees at their own workplace.

Another employee expressed deep shock: “We were held hostage in our own office by the very people meant to uphold the law. The insults and intimidation were unbelievable. Everyone was traumatized.”

When reached for comment, Mathibeli confirmed the incident to Sunday World, explaining he was alerted by a distressed staff member about the police presence.

He emphasized that his team had no objection to a proper firearm inspection.However, he condemned the officers' demeanor as unwarranted, disrespectful, and intimidating toward his employees. “The way they handled it caused real trauma—holding people hostage in the boardroom was completely unnecessary,” Mathibeli said.

“It's disheartening that those tasked with protecting citizens are instead harassing and intimidating them. There was no justification for turning this into such a chaotic scene at my offices.”

Mathibeli further alleged that he is being deliberately targeted in an effort to undermine his business and damage his reputation, and he vowed to pursue action against the police over the matter.