Khuseleka One Stop Centre launched by Minister Albert Fritz

As we continue to commemorate Women’s Month, the Department of Social Development (DSD) has launched the innovative Khuseleka One Stop Centre at our funded NGO partner, the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women & Children in Athlone.

The Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Adv. Albert Fritz, launched the facility in the presence of our Khuseleka Model stakeholders, which included;

• the South African Police Services,
• the Hawks,
• the National Prosecuting Authority,
• SASSA,
• Business Against Crime,
• the Western Cape Departments of Community Safety, Education, and Health,
• and the National Departments of Justice, Correctional Services, and Home Affairs.

The name “Khuseleka” is derived from the Zulu word which means ‘to be protected’.

The Khuseleka Model is an initiative of the DSD that provides support services to women and children who are victims of crime and violence under the Victim Empowerment Programme. The Khuseleka Model aims to strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration and improve referral protocols by offering a continuum of services from key government depart­ments and institutions to victims of crime and violence in one space.

The Department has allocated R3.28-million to the Khuseleka One Stop Centre for the key objective of pro­viding a 24-hour “place of refuge” for victims of crime. In addition to the Saartjie Baartman staff complement, the Khuseleka Model allocates an additional two social workers and two social auxiliary workers, and this will see the centre render services such as:

• Shelter services,
• Trauma counselling and psychological support,
• Referral and follow-up to nearest health care facility,
• Closer partnership with the SAPS and court support.

To ensure the environment provides a safe space for the victims and their children, DSD has allocated an additional R357 048 for improved security.

The department will continue to make our victim support and women empowerment services more acces­sible to the vulnerable segments of our society. If we work ‘Better Together’, we can build a society based on freedom, fairness and oppor­tunity that empowers all women!