Sad state of SA’s shelters: 85% of women seeking help do so with children

The National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA) on Tuesday painted a bleak picture of the state of shelters in the country.

The movement serving 103 organisations against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) recently appeared in parliament where it revealed that GBV shelters are struggling to meet specific needs due to funding constraints.

According to NSMSA, a recent study indicated that 85% of women seeking help do so with children, many of whom need healthcare.

“They include not only safety and security but long-term emotional and psychological healing. Without consistent and adequate support, shelters are simply unable to address all these multi-faceted needs,” said NSMSA Head of Executive Dr Zubeda Dangor.

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41% funding provided by the DSD

NSMSA said that the Department of Social Development (DSD) provides funding to shelters, though disbursements of funds are delayed.

“However, most shelters primarily operate with government funding, which covers only 41% of their costs. This means that they must make up the shortfall from private fundraising, which is unsustainable,” explained Dangor.

It highlighted that shelter employees earn below the minimum wage due to DSD funding crises.

“Staff in NGO [non-governmental organisations] shelters face burnout as they shoulder heavy administrative burdens on top of the emotional toll of dealing with violence daily. These are people who work around the clock for minimal pay, often going without salaries or benefits,” she added.

According to the Department of Employment and Labour, the National minimum wage in South Africa is R27.58 per hour. It also listed the rates paid for other positions:

• Care workers: R25.48 per hour
• Housemother: R26.84 per hour
• Driver/Handyman: R24.98 per hour

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‘Very poor’ relations with municipalities

Among financial challenges, NSMSA expressed the non-financial impact it has experienced.

The NSMSA presentation to parliament noted that the movement has a “very poor” relationship with municipalities.

“The City of Johannesburg does not offer rebates or waivers to shelters for utility bills, some other provinces do so. Department of Human Settlements & city councils don’t prioritise housing for GBV survivors. This is not for lack of trying and reaching out.”

Furthermore, requirements were not standard and this applied consistently across different regions in Gauteng.

The NSMSA’s Sima Diar said: “The chronic underfunding and lack of support from municipal and provincial departments also make it difficult for shelters to comply with costly and time-intensive municipal requirements, such as re-zoning and health and safety regulations.”

Dangor added victims’ needs include much more than safety and security but long-term emotional and psychological healing and adequate support and consistency.

“We call on government leaders at every level to listen, to respond, and to act decisively in supporting shelters and the women and children who rely on them,” she concluded.

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