The Department of Social Development, led by the Deputy Director-General: Welfare Services, is currently conducting an oversight visit to a shelter in Kimberley to assess service delivery and strengthen support for survivors.
This visit comes at a critical time, following the President’s declaration of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) as a national disaster, calling for an intensified and coordinated national response.
In the Northern Cape, the shelter system continues to play a vital role in protecting and restoring dignity to survivors.
The province has 8 shelters and 1 White Door Centre, with a total bed capacity of 64, having accommodated 107 victims between April and September 2025.
Of these shelters, 7 are government-managed and 1 is NGO-managed, reflecting a collaborative approach to service delivery.
Shelter teams are made up of Social Work Supervisors, Social Workers, House Parents and support staff, ensuring holistic care and psychosocial support for survivors.
Importantly, one shelter in the province is accredited as a Trafficking in Persons (TIP) shelter, strengthening the province’s response to human trafficking.
The oversight visit underscores government’s commitment to ensuring that shelters remain safe spaces of protection, care and dignity, while continuously improving the quality and accessibility of services for survivors.
If you or someone you know is experiencing GBVF, speak out and seek help:Call the GBV Command Centre: 0800 428 428 (toll-free)Together, we must break the silence and protect the most vulnerable.Northern Cape Social Development
BY LUCKY SEANEGO
