Residential
Fire and Security FAQ for Homeowners in Cape Town
Guidance only. Verify any statutory or insurer requirement against current official South African sources. CapeCore does not publish unverified legal claims.
This page gathers the questions Cape Town and Western Cape homeowners ask most often, with the SANS standards that usually sit behind the answer. It is guidance, not a legal opinion and not a quotation.
The standards in one place
- SANS 10400-T — National Building Regulations, fire protection (occupancy, equipment provision, related building measures).
- SANS 10139 — fire detection and alarm systems: design, installation and servicing.
- SANS 1910 — portable refillable fire extinguishers (the product).
- SANS 10105-1 — use and control of portable extinguishers, including monthly site control by a responsible person.
- SANS 1475-1 / 1475-2 — reconditioning of extinguishers, hose reels and above-ground hydrants by a registered organisation.
- SANS 1186-1 — symbolic safety signs.
- SANS 10222-2 — electrical security installations, access control.
- SANS 10222-3 — non-lethal electric fences; electric fence system certificate.
- SANS 60335-2-76 — safety of electric fence energisers.
- SANS 14520 — gaseous fire-extinguishing systems (specialised rooms).
Questions homeowners often ask
What should I do first if I am buying a house?
Ask for the electric fence system certificate if there is a fence, check that extinguishers in common property have current SANS 1475 labels, and walk the CCTV at night. Transfer is a bad moment to discover a dead energiser.
Do I need SAQCC or PSIRA quoted on a website before I hire someone?
Registrations are real in this industry, but a website claim is not a certificate. Ask for the documents that apply to the work: 1475 registration for extinguisher reconditioning, a registered person for the fence certificate, and a competent person for fire-alarm work.
How often must extinguishers be serviced?
SANS 10105-1: visual site control at least monthly. SANS 1475-1: professional reconditioning on the interval in the current standard (typically annual routine service, with longer overhaul cycles by type). Confirm the current Annex F.
Does my complex’s fence protect my unit?
It protects the estate boundary. Your erf still needs a serviceable gate, credentials and, if you want evidence, cameras on your approaches.
Can I point cameras at the street?
You may record your own approaches. Recording neighbours’ interiors or harassing public space can create POPIA and by-law problems. Keep the purpose narrow.
What if the municipality or insurer asks for a different interval?
Follow the stricter documented requirement after you have read it. This website does not override a by-law or a policy condition.
Who do I call at CapeCore?
Phone 021 755 1648, email info@capecorefs.co.za, or use Request a Quote. Describe the property and what is already installed.
General guidance for Cape Town and Western Cape homes and estates. Confirm the current SANS edition, municipal by-law and any insurer condition with a competent person before treating an answer as a legal duty on your property.
Residential · Electric fencing · Fire-fighting equipment · Contact
Next step
Request a quote
Tell CapeCore about the property and the systems you need assessed.