Shelters demand funding as GBVF crisis deepens

The National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA) has issued a stark warning, stating that the country's shelters providing crucial support to survivors of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) are struggling to stay afloat amid funding failures. At the sixth National Shelter Indaba, which convened government, shelter workers, civil-society organisations and funders in Gauteng from September 15 to 17 under the theme "Social Integration of GBVF Interventions," the NSMSA emphasized the urgency of addressing the shelter system's precarious financial situation.

The gravity of the GBVF crisis has been underscored by recent statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS). From April to June 2026, SAPS recorded 569 murders of women and 9,201 reported rapes. Notably, 4,121 of these rape cases occurred within residences, highlighting that violence often transpires within homes rather than public spaces.

For women and children seeking refuge from such domestic abuse, shelters serve as more than just temporary accommodations; they provide immediate safety, counseling, legal assistance, and aid in rebuilding lives. However, the NSMSA has revealed that shelters are grappling with delays in state subsidies, substandard buildings, and shortages of specialized psychosocial services. These challenges have left many survivors without a place to turn to during times of acute need.

The NSMSA has called on provincial social development departments and the National Treasury to formalize and expedite the provision of foundational funding for shelters and safe houses. They argue that this funding must be ring-fenced, ensuring it remains dedicated to shelter services and not treated as a short-term or uncertain expense.

The organization asserts that government must move beyond reactive measures and recognize shelters as an indispensable component of South Africa's GBVF response infrastructure. This necessitates dependable, ring-fenced funding that enables shelters to maintain their operations, retain skilled staff, and offer survivors the high-quality care they deserve.

Social Development Minister Dina Pule acknowledged the department's partnership with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure in supporting 134 operational shelters. Pule disclosed that the department procured nine vehicles for trafficking-in-persons shelters through the Criminal Asset Recovery Account and established four Khuseleka one-stop centers in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

Pule stressed that social integration necessitates more than mere policy language and meetings; it demands decisive, survivor-driven actions. "Social integration is not an abstract concept; it demands concrete action. Survivors must be at the very heart of policy, services, and resource decisions," she emphasized.

Pule also paid tribute to the unsung heroes of the shelter system, saying, "To every shelter manager, social worker, counsellor, and support staff member represented here: I salute you. Your work is the frontline of our national response." The indaba also delved into longer-term prevention strategies, including community healing and interventions aimed at perpetrators.

The NSMSA firmly believes that survivor support and prevention efforts must be inextricably linked, as an approach that only intervenes after violence has occurred will fail to break the cycle of GBVF.