A paper shredder is the simplest way to deal with old client files, payslips and forms, but the right one depends on how secure the cut must be, how much you shred and how long it must run. For big clear-outs, a shredding service that collects locked bins is often cheaper and safer than feeding a desk shredder for days. Send one request and we pass it to independent office equipment suppliers and shredding services near you, who quote you directly.
Strip, cross and micro cut
- Strip-cut: long strips. Cheapest and least secure, since strips can be pieced together.
- Cross-cut: short pieces. The usual choice for offices.
- Micro-cut: very small particles, for the most sensitive paper.
Shredders are rated on security levels P-1 to P-7 under the DIN 66399 standard. P-4 is often used for personal data and confidential office paper. Ask which level the machine is rated for, not only the cut type. A higher level means smaller pieces, but usually fewer sheets at a time and a bin that fills faster.
Capacity, duty time and the bin
Three numbers matter. Sheet capacity is how many sheets of 80 gsm copy paper it takes at once; feed fewer than the maximum and it jams less. Duty time is how long it runs before it must cool down, which separates a home shredder from an office one. Bin size decides how often someone must empty it. Ask whether it takes staples, card or discs, and whether it has auto feed, which shreds a stack while you work. Most office shredders need oil or lubricant sheets now and then to keep the blades cutting cleanly; ask what the maker recommends.
Shredding services
A shredding service leaves locked bins or bags in your office, collects them on a schedule or once off, and shreds the paper on site in a truck or off site at their plant. Ask for a certificate of destruction after each collection. It suits attorneys, medical practices, schools and municipalities with archives to clear, and offices that would rather not have staff feed a shredder by hand. Ask how bins are sealed, who handles them on the way, whether you can watch on site shredding, and how often collections can be booked.
POPIA and what to shred
POPIA, the Protection of Personal Information Act, means personal information on paper must be protected, and that includes how you get rid of it. Shred anything with ID numbers, account details, medical or HR information, and client files you no longer need to keep. Remember copiers store scans too: ask for the drive to be wiped when a machine leaves you (see photocopier recycling). Shredded paper can often be recycled; ask the service what happens to it. How long you must keep certain records is a separate question: ask your accountant or attorney before you destroy old files.
What to put in your request
- Shredder to buy or a shredding service
- Security level or cut type needed
- How much paper, daily or once off
- Number of locked bins and how often
- Certificate of destruction needed
Paper Shredders and Shredding for offices, schools and home offices
- Home offices: a small cross-cut shredder for bank statements and old invoices
- Small businesses and shops: an office shredder beside the copier for payslips and client forms
- Corporate and head offices: locked bins on every floor collected on a schedule with certificates
- Schools, colleges and universities: old exam scripts and learner records shredded by a service after the year
- Medical practices, clinics and hospitals: patient records shredded on site in a truck with a certificate of destruction
- Law firms, accountants and agents: an attorney's archive of closed files cleared by a shredding service
- Government and municipalities: municipal records destroyed under a contract with locked bin collections
- Factories, mines and warehouses: a factory office shredding old delivery notes and payroll records
- Churches, NGOs and community groups: a church office shredding member records with a small cross-cut machine
Frequently asked questions
Do you supply shredders or shred paper yourselves?
Which security level do I need for client files?
Can I shred paper with staples and clips?
Is a service cheaper than buying a shredder?
Paper Shredders and Shredding by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg