Fidelity Services Group, South Africa’s largest private security firm, has moved to protect its cash-in-transit trade secrets from a former senior employee suspected of planning to join a rival.
Fidelity’s cash solutions business is the premier cash management company in South Africa, serving a wide range of industries, including retail, banking & financial services, casino, gaming and entertainment.
The group, said to harbour ambitions of listing on the JSE, dragged erstwhile employee Nico de Jager to court to enforce a restraint of trade agreement it had entered into with him.
De Jager spent several years in the group’s employ, culminating in his appointment as a senior regional manager in the cash-in-transit business, until he resigned in June last year.
In January, De Jager was offered employment by Fidelity’s rival in the cash management industry, iZi Cash.
It is not immediately clear whether he accepted the offer. However, in February he began employment with an outfit called Röhrs & Associates, which provides cash solutions design and development consultancy services.
Röhrs & Associates has previously provided its services to Fidelity and iZi Cash. De Jager’s role at Röhrs & Associates was that of property development consultant, with responsibilities including infrastructure optimisation and feasibility, compliance management, financial and budgetary control, stakeholder co-ordination, procurement and safety.
Fidelity took issue with this employment, arguing it was in breach of the restraint in trade agreement it had entered into with De Jager, as he had confidential knowledge about customers, pricing, tenders, branch operations, risk methodologies, and branch upgrade requirements, including building construction, alarms and safes of the group.
Judge Wilhelmina du Plessis agreed with Fidelity’s stance.
“The first respondent [De Jager] is interdicted and restrained, for a period of 24 months calculated from July 1 2025, from being employed by, associated with, or engaged or interested in, whether directly or indirectly and in any capacity, any business operating in the cash-in-transit industry in competition with the applicants within the Republic of South Africa, where such employment, association or involvement would place him in a position to use or disclose the applicants’ confidential information or customer connections,” the ruling reads.
“For the same 24‑month period, the first respondent is interdicted and restrained from being employed by or associated with the second respondent in relation to work in the cash‑in‑transit industry or related advisory or infrastructure work for competitors of the applicants.
“For the same 24‑month period, and within the province of Gauteng, the first respondent is interdicted and restrained from, directly or indirectly, canvassing for or soliciting business from any existing customer of the applicants.”
iZi Cash has been operating and providing cash management and logistics services since January 2016.
Bloomberg reported last year that Fidelity had plans on the JSE. The group’s website has been revamped to resemble that of a listed company, with features such as stock exchange news services announcements and an investor calendar.
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