MAHIKENG GBV SHELTER OFFERS SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS

By Keolebogile Gwabeni.

• ⁠The Mahikeng Crisis Centre, which opened its doors seven months ago, is already providing a haven for women and children escaping gender-based violence.
• ⁠The centre offers extensive and life-changing services, from counselling to legal advice, from healthcare referrals to food and shelter.
• The centre’s strength lies in its supportive staff and partnerships with the departments of social development and home affairs, the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority, and various non-profit organisations.

In the heart of the North West’s capital of Mahikeng lies the Mahikeng Crisis Centre – a beacon of hope for women and children escaping the grip of gender-based violence.

Since its official opening by the North West Department of Social Development in November 2024, the shelter has become a vital lifeline for those who have experienced unimaginable trauma at the hands of the perpetrators. The shelter offers the victims safety, dignity, and the tools to rebuild their lives.

With a capacity to house up to eight individuals at a time, the shelter offers extensive and life-changing services.

Most women who arrive at the shelter are often at their most vulnerable. Here, they are met with compassion, empathy, and a range of essential services.

The centre provides immediate needs such as accommodation, food, and toiletries, but its impact goes far beyond basic survival.

This centre has professional staff who provide psychosocial support in the form of trauma counselling and referrals to other relevant stakeholders such as healthcare providers and legal entities. Court support is also offered to ensure victims have the strength and guidance to face legal proceedings.

Its staff complement is all-encompassing. A social worker provides therapeutic and psychosocial support tailored to each survivor’s experience. A coordinator oversees the daily operations and ensures that all services run smoothly. Six victim support workers welcome clients, assist with admissions and offer initial counselling to women and children upon arrival. A housekeeper, whose work ranges from managing stocks to ensuring that bedrooms are welcoming and comfortable. A groundsman, who maintains the centre’s gardens and keeps the yard clean. And a cleaner, who ensures a hygienic and safe environment throughout the facility.

Each team member plays a crucial role in creating a space where survivors can begin to heal. The dedication of these individuals transforms the shelter into not just a safe space but a home.

The Mahikeng Crisis Centre does not operate in isolation. Its strength lies in partnerships.

The shelter works closely with the South African Police Service, the Department of Social Development, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Department of Home Affairs, and various non-profit organisations (NPOs). These collaborations ensure a holistic response to gender-based violence, with each stakeholder playing a part in the survivor’s journey to recovery.

Access to the centre is typically facilitated through the Department of Social Development, the police, NPOs, the local Thuthuzela Care Centre, or other shelters. This referral system ensures that victims are guided to safety without further trauma or delay.

Outreach is a key part of the centre’s mission.

The team works tirelessly to raise awareness about gender-based violence and the services available through campaigns, the media and stakeholder meetings. These efforts not only increase awareness but also reduce stigma and encourage survivors to seek help sooner.

“Vulnerable women and children receive overnight accommodation and trauma counselling at this shelter,” the MEC for Social Development, Basetsana Sussana Dantjie, explains.

“They also receive social support services such as counselling, protection services, safety and security,” Dantjie says, adding that the staff members at the centre have what it takes to provide a friendly environment that assures confidence, professionalism, respect, and dignity for the victims.

The centre’s work has been widely acknowledged and appreciated, with many community members recognising its critical role in combating the cycle of abuse.

Every month, the centre receives five survivors who undergo routine counselling from the staff.

The Mahikeng Crisis Centre is more than a shelter. It is a place where women and children are empowered to dream again, and where fear is replaced by hope and where the cycle of violence is broken, one life at a time.