Toks van der Linde appointed new Chief Revenue Officer of the Phangela Group amid spike in crime levels due to load shedding

Toks van der Linde as the new Group Chief Revenue Officer. Image: OBED ZILWA

Toks van der Linde as the new Group Chief Revenue Officer. Image: OBED ZILWA

Published Jan 27, 2023

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Private security company, the Phangela Group has announced the appointment of Toks van der Linde as its new Group Chief Revenue Officer.

Toks will be responsible for driving the group’s growth into new markets and further expanding its existing ones.

Toks, a household name following his career playing for the Springboks, Western Province and the Stormers, and success as a TV personality and sports broadcaster, brings significant private sector experience to his new role at the Phangela Group.

“Having worked in various roles in the corporate sector his skills set include experience in customer service, business development, marketing and marketing strategy with a strong focus on communications and media,” the group said in a statement.

“In his new role, Toks’ focus will be on building a deep understanding of the entire value chain of the Phangela Group’s operation with the aim of enhancing the gains already made by the Group on keeping businesses and communities safe through the use of innovative technology and ongoing performance tracking of the services it provides.

“ This training in every aspect of the business’ operation will also be key to understanding the challenges faced by clients and the value add that Phangela brings them,” the statement further read.

The group said that among the challenges were the sustained bouts of load shedding.

“With stage 6 having been implemented for a number of days in January so far there have been increased opportunities for criminal activity impacting both residential and commercial properties.

“The increased opportunities for criminals to exploit power outages include streetlights being off at night and an influx of “false” alarm call outs after prolonged periods of load shedding when systems all come online at once, which stretch the capacity of security companies. Furthermore, premises that are normally monitored by CCTV and protected by electric fencing also become vulnerable if there are no or inadequate power backups or dedicated security guards on duty,“ the group said.

“If a generator system does kick in, but is not monitored regularly for fuel and maintenance, it can also fail. All of these create opportunities for criminals, which is why the Phangela Group has observed an increase in criminal activity in the areas it services since the start of the year.

“This highlights the critical need for the private security sector to work with law enforcement authorities and for residents and businesses to partner with security providers who can help them meet and mitigate these challenges, with the Group having put in a number of plans in place to mitigate the impact of load shedding and ensure the safety of its clients,” the company said.

Van der Linde said, “I am proud to be joining the Phangela Group. I first experienced Phangela as the security provider at my residential estate. The quality and level of service provision we received impressed me. This experience really set Phangela apart from other security service providers I’ve encountered.

“The Phangela Group has a critical role in protecting businesses and communities and I look forward to playing a part in increasing safety in the areas we operate in – and expanding those operations. High crime levels are a threat to the economy and is likely to become an even more pressing concern for South Africans as load shedding becomes more severe. I look forward to using my position to help keep families and businesses safe from crime, especially when the lights are out.”

Chairman of the Phangela Group, Charl Jacobs, said, “We are proud to have Toks join the Phangela team. The experience he brings will be invaluable to his role as Chief Revenue Officer – I am certain he is going to bring the same fire and dedication he brought to the rugby field and his previous corporate roles to this position.

“With load shedding a reality for the foreseeable future, the need for private security companies which are investing time and money in innovation, technology (including artificial intelligence) and performance tracking, such as the Phangela Group, to support law enforcement to tackle crime is going to become even more crucial. I look forward to working with Toks to realise the Phangela Group’s vision of providing innovative security solutions to our clients and to becoming the leading private security company in South Africa.”

BUSINESS REPORT