A new victim support centre in Ndwedwe will give survivors of gender-based violence a confidential, dignified space to report abuse and access support closer to home.
Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala will officially open and hand over the Ndwedwe South African Police Service victim support centre in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.
The facility forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the response to gender-based violence and femicide, particularly in rural communities where survivors can face additional barriers when seeking help.
The centre will include a Victim Friendly Room where survivors can be interviewed and provide statements in an environment designed to protect their privacy, dignity and emotional wellbeing.
For survivors of violence, the setting in which abuse is reported can influence whether they feel safe enough to speak openly and continue engaging with the criminal justice system.
Creating dedicated spaces within police facilities can therefore strengthen both survivor support and the quality of information available to investigators.
“The handover of the Victim Friendly Room will provide a safe space where victims of GBVF crime can be interviewed and give statements in a confidential, respectful and dignified manner,” the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said.
The initiative also aims to encourage more women in rural communities to report abuse and access available support services.
Rural survivors can face practical obstacles including distance from services, limited transport, financial pressure and concerns about confidentiality within smaller communities.
Locating survivor-centred services closer to communities can help reduce some of those barriers while strengthening links between policing, social support and other government interventions.
Zikalala will also receive an update from stakeholders on their current response plans to gender-based violence and femicide.
As Cabinet District Development Model Champion for the iLembe District, which includes KwaDukuza, Ndwedwe, Mandeni and KwaMaphumulo, he is expected to use the engagement to strengthen coordination between departments and organisations operating in the area.
That coordinated approach is important because responding effectively to GBVF requires more than law enforcement alone.
Police, healthcare services, social workers, community organisations, traditional leadership and government departments all play different roles in protecting survivors and preventing further violence.
The centre also supports the objectives of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, which seeks to improve prevention, survivor support, accountability and protection for vulnerable individuals and communities.
For the Ndwedwe community, the new facility represents a practical intervention within that broader national strategy.
Its longer-term impact will depend not only on the physical space being available, but on survivors receiving respectful treatment, effective referrals and sustained support after reporting abuse.
By creating a dedicated environment within the local policing system, the initiative aims to make it easier for survivors to come forward and begin accessing the protection and services they need.
