A Safe Haven for Women & Children in Benoni
We, the residents of Benoni, petition the Gauteng Department of Social Development and the MEC Faith Mazibuko, urgently call for the establishment of a Women and Women with Children; Place of Safety in Benoni. Gender-based violence, domestic abuse, and cases involving vulnerable children continue to rise in our communities, yet Benoni has no dedicated, local safe facility for immediate protection. Victims are often transported far away from their homes, schools, support systems, and police stations; delaying intervention, increasing trauma, and weakening the follow-up support needed for long-term safety and recovery.
Benoni’s central location, existing SAPS infrastructure, active CPFs, local hospitals, and large population make it a strategic site for such a facility. The nearest shelters are overburdened, limited in capacity, or located too far from Benoni to be effective during emergencies. A properly resourced Place of Safety would enable rapid placement, trauma-informed care, child-focused protection, and improved coordination across agencies. This facility is not only necessary but long overdue.
We therefore request that the Department allocate funding, identify or approve suitable premises, and provide appropriate staffing and operational resources for a fully compliant Women and Women with Children Place of Safety in Benoni.
No survivor should ever be turned away, no child should have to wait for safety, and no family should be left without support in their most vulnerable moment.
Cllr Lornette Joseph Contact the author of the petition