STATE-OWNED PROPERTIES HANDED OVER TO DSD FOR SAFE SHELTERS

Cuma Pantshwa

• ⁠The three properties in Pretoria and two in Johannesburg will be repurposed to be Khuseleka One Stop Centre and White Door Safe Space of Hope models
• ⁠These new additions will expand the province’s capacity to offer accessible, safe, and trauma-informed care to survivors.
•  ⁠Sobering crime statistics indicate women and children are under attack.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has officially handed over five state-owned properties to the Department of Social Development (DSD) for use as shelters and safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), a significant milestone in the government’s commitment to repurposing public assets for public good.

The five properties—three in Pretoria and two in Johannesburg—will be repurposed by the DSD to be a Khuseleka One Stop Centre and White Door Safe Space of Hope models. The shelters are intended to provide immediate safety, care, and multi-disciplinary support to women and children affected by violence.

The Khuseleka Centres serve as safe havens for victims of crime and violence, offering a continuum of services from one central location. Services are delivered by multi-disciplinary teams, including social workers, law enforcement, health professionals, and legal experts—an approach aligned with pillar 4 of the national strategic plan on gender based violence and femicide (GBVF), which prioritizes care, support, and healing.

These new shelters will be part of a broader provincial network. Gauteng currently has 14 shelters, spread across Tshwane, Johannesburg Metro, East Rand, West Rand, and Sedibeng. These new additions will expand the province’s capacity to offer accessible, safe, and trauma-informed care to survivors.

Speaking at the handover ceremony at Waterkloof, Pretoria, DPWI Minister Dean Macpherson acknowledged that progress had previously been hampered by budget constraints, administrative delays, and red tape, but insisted these excuses could no longer hold up.

“For far too long, state-owned buildings have stood empty while there was a real need for shelters for women and children facing abuse,” he said alluding to a new era of quick delivery. “we are now in a period of action—and this handover proves it,” he declared. “no longer are we managing buildings just to maintain them. We are unlocking them to save lives, restore dignity, and build a safer South Africa.”

Minister Macpherson said tragic events, including the currently topical tragic case of 7-year-old Cwecwe, whose rape in the Eastern Cape last year, serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action

“That young child’s suffering must not be in vain. It must be a catalyst that shakes us to the core and propels us to act with urgency,” he said, emphasizing the importance of shelters for victims of abuse, especially women and children.

“Shelters are not ‘nice-to-haves’ but critical in the fight against GBVF. These facilities must be accessible, safe, and supported by the necessary infrastructure and services.” he said.

Receiving the permission to occupy (PTO), power of attorney, and handover certificates, Social Development Minister, Ms. Sisisi Tolashe, said the collaboration between the DPWI and DSD was essential to strengthen the provision of comprehensive, integrated services—including sheltering services.

“We are pleased to announce this collaboration. “It is imperative that the government works together with other departments and Civil Society Organizations to eradicate Gender-Based Violence in South Africa.” Tolashe said.

Minister Tolashe contextualized this milestone as part of a national priority led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has declared GBV a “second pandemic”

South Africa, grappling with deep-rooted collective trauma as seen in high levels of violent crime, homicides, and daily abuse, has been called upon by the President to treat this crisis with the urgency and seriousness it demands.

Minister Tolashe highlighted the need to strengthen services at these shelters, referencing the President’s Emergency Action Plan on GBVF with sobering statistics from recent crime reports from the South African Police Services. The stats indicate that between January and September last year, 6,392 rape cases were recorded, 8,036 sexual offences, and 973 sexual assaults in Gauteng alone. Nationally, 2,884 women and 902 children were killed in the same period.

“These numbers are devastating, they confirm what we already know—our women and children are under attack. we must ensure that services are not only available, but also accessible, and delivered with compassion, urgency, and dignity.” Minister Tolashe said.

Globally, GBV is one of the most widespread violations of women’s and girls’ rights, with, according to UN Women, an estimated 736 million women worldwide—nearly one in three—have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their lives.

Also present at the event were representatives from the Gauteng DSD and the Gauteng DPWI , signaling the importance of interdepartmental collaboration in advancing the goals of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF and the Emergency Response Action Plan.

“It is only through coordinated partnerships—across departments, sectors, and communities—that we can end GBVF. We are stronger together, and together, we can do more.”Minister Tolashe said.

This initiative is part of the broader Emergency Response Action Plan on GBVF, first launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2019, and aligns with national priorities to create safer communities for all.