In the heart of Johannesburg’s bustling East Rand, where the hum of city life often drowns out cries for help, one woman’s home has transformed into a sanctuary of hope. Cynthia Dinalane, a tenacious GBV activist from Kempton Park, has turned her family residence into the Tshegofatso Rona Welfare shelter, saving over 150 survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) since 2019. Amid the 16 Days of Activism against GBV, her story isn’t just inspirational—it’s a clarion call for nationwide safe houses in South Africa, where a woman is murdered every three hours.
From Personal Sacrifice to National Hero: Cynthia’s Journey
Cynthia Dinalane’s path to heroism began in 2019, when she quit her stable job in the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality’s environmental department. “The rate of GBV is extremely high,” she told The Citizen in May 2025. “That’s why I decided to risk my livelihood and my children’s to help people.” What started as a modest initiative quickly ballooned into a full-fledged shelter, accommodating up to 60 women and children at a time. Today, Tshegofatso Rona isn’t just a refuge—it’s a hub for psychological support, skills training, and long-term rehabilitation. By dedicating her three-bedroom home in Kempton Park, Dinalane has provided immediate safety to survivors fleeing abuse from as far as KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga provinces.
Her family’s involvement adds a layer of profound commitment; Dinalane’s three children serve as directors of the organization, turning personal space into a communal lifeline. This hands-on approach has not only sustained the shelter through lean times but also fostered a family-like environment where survivors can rebuild trust. “We get people arriving from other parts of Johannesburg and even other cities,” Dinalane explained in a recent interview, highlighting the shelter’s role as a beacon drawing those in desperate need.
By November 2025, Dinalane’s unwavering commitment earned her the prestigious South African Heroes Award in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. This marked her 10th accolade, including the Humanitarian Global Award in Ghana, the African Humanitarian Award in Nigeria, and the Women Empowerment Award at the South African Heroes Award in 2023. “What inspired me is that women and children are raped and killed every day, and we have limited shelters,” Dinalane shared during the ceremony, as reported by SABC News. Her voice, steady yet fierce, echoed the pain of countless survivors while igniting a spark of collective resolve. These honors underscore her ethical leadership, earning a perfect score in all categories from the Global Recognition Awards for her dignified, autonomy-respecting approach to survivor care.
The Alarming Reality: South Africa’s GBV Crisis in 2025
South Africa’s battle against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) remains a national emergency, recently declared a national disaster by the National Disaster Management Centre. According to the Human Sciences Research Council, over 51% of women have experienced GBV in their lifetime, with 957 women murdered between July and September 2024 alone—an 8.6% increase from the previous year. In Johannesburg, hotspots like Thembisa and Kempton Park report daily assaults, grievous bodily harm, and femicides that strain an already overburdened system. Femicide rates here are five times the global average, with intimate partner killings claiming lives at an alarming rate of 5.5 per 100,000 women.
The economic toll is staggering: a KPMG report estimates GBV costs the country R28.4 billion to R42.4 billion annually—0.9% to 1.3% of GDP. This figure accounts for healthcare expenses exceeding R10 billion, judicial costs of R104 million, and human capital loss around R26 billion, not to mention the unquantifiable emotional and societal scars. Yet, shelters like Tshegofatso Rona operate on fumes. The National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA), representing over 100 GBV safe houses, warns that funding has declined while demand surges—some shelters in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Free State have closed or suspended services. During the COVID-19 lockdown, complaints to hotlines doubled, and temporary shelters faced safety lapses, including reported rapes. In the Western Cape alone, victims in remote areas like Beaufort West must travel up to 200km for refuge, underscoring the urgent need for expanded, accessible facilities.
“GBV in South Africa cannot be treated as a 16-day campaign when we are living through a 365-day emergency.”
— National Shelter Movement of South Africa, December 2025
Experts like Relebohile Moletsane from Wits University emphasize addressing rural abductions and urban hotspots, noting how poverty and inequality exacerbate vulnerabilities. The HSRC’s 2024 study further reveals that Black African women face disproportionately high rates of physical violence, linked to apartheid’s legacy of state-sponsored brutality. As President Cyril Ramaphosa noted in his 2025 address, GBVF is a “second pandemic” eroding the social fabric, demanding multisectoral action beyond awareness campaigns.
A Home That Heals: Inside Tshegofatso Rona’s Impact
At Tshegofatso Rona, Dinalane’s three-bedroom home in Kempton Park buzzes with resilience. Since registering as an NPO in 2020, it has cared for 280 impoverished families in Thembisa and Kempton Park. This year alone, it has sheltered over 150 survivors, many fleeing provinces like KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. The shelter provides immediate safety, counseling, and empowerment programs—helping women like Tshepang, a survivor who credits the organization with her journey to financial independence through skills in sewing and baking.
Programs include skills development in sewing and baking, psychological support, legal aid referrals, healthcare, and education for children—including abandoned babies. One standout success: over 87 women have regained independence, securing jobs and homes free from abuse. In March 2024, gospel stars rallied to raise R1.6 million for expansion, highlighting community backing for Dinalane’s vision. Despite no government funding—only community donations for food and nappies—the shelter persists, repurposing household items to maintain privacy and security. Dinalane’s faith-driven mantra, “Empowerment is the fuel to get those most in need to a brighter future,” resonates in every success story, from Mpho, who lost her advertising career to unreported abuse but rebuilt through counseling, to traumatized children now thriving in school.
Faith fuels Dinalane’s work. “I credit my strength to prayer,” she told Daily Sun in 2023, a sentiment echoed in her 2025 awards. Her approach prioritizes dignity, earning praise for transforming victims into victors without judgment.
16 Days of Activism: Amplifying the Call for Safe Houses
As the 16 Days of Activism unfolds from November 25 to December 10, 2025, under the theme “Letsema: Men, Women, Boys and Girls working together to end GBVF,” Dinalane’s honor spotlights a dire need. The campaign, now in its 27th year, mobilizes dialogues, outreach, and pledges to dismantle GBV’s roots, integrating G20 resolutions on positive masculinity and gender equality. Yet, NSMSA demands more: a comprehensive plan boosting shelter funding to 60%, multi-stakeholder collaborations, and full implementation of Public Protector recommendations across Justice, Social Development, and SAPS. With the GBVF declaration unlocking resources, advocates like Dinalane push for harsher sentences and ubuntu-driven respect.
In Gauteng, the 2025 GBV Response Plan aligns with the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBVF, emphasizing prevention, justice access, and economic empowerment. “Every minute a woman or child is abused is too long,” she said in a November 2025 Kempton Express interview. The recent G20 Women’s Shutdown, where thousands lay in silence across Jozi and beyond, pushed for GBVF’s national disaster declaration—unlocking resources for expanded shelters. Events like the Men’s Indaba against GBVF, addressed by President Ramaphosa, highlight men’s pivotal role in challenging toxic norms. Community fun walks in Kempton Park and dialogues at universities like UJ further amplify calls for systemic change, urging hotlines like the GBV Command Centre (0800 150 150) to be better resourced.
Voices of Survival: Stories from the Shelter
Behind the statistics are stories of rebirth. Mpho, who lost her job due to unreported abuse, found solace at Tshegofatso Rona. “Cynthia counseled me when I had nowhere else,” she recounted in a 2023 Citizen feature. Now, through the shelter’s programs, she’s rebuilding her life in marketing, advocating for others to break free. Similarly, abandoned babies and traumatized children receive healthcare and education, embodying Dinalane’s mantra. Tshepang, once trapped in a cycle of abuse, now runs her own baking business, crediting the shelter’s skills training for her escape from dependency.
These narratives reveal GBV’s intersectional scars—racial, economic, and disability-based. Women with disabilities face double the sexual violence risk, per HSRC data, while economic abuse traps many in poverty. Dinalane’s shelter counters this with tailored support, from legal referrals to financial literacy, ensuring survivors don’t just survive but thrive. One young mother, arriving with her infant after a brutal assault, now studies nursing, her child’s laughter a testament to healing. Such stories, shared in forums like UJ’s GBV discussions, humanize the crisis, urging society to listen and act.
Building a Nationwide Network: The Path Forward
Dinalane dreams big: shelters for abused men, government-backed expansion, and a Jozi free from fear. The NSP’s mid-term review in 2025 offers hope, but implementation lags—only 75% of the GBVF Response Fund has been collected since 2021. NSMSA’s crowdfunding for its helpline, aiming for R500,000, highlights private sector gaps; the Ford Foundation aids, but sustainability demands more. Provincial models, like the Western Cape’s 600 GBV Ambassadors, show promise, yet rural access remains dire.
Communities must challenge inequalities, support hotlines like the GBV Command Centre (0800 150 150), and fund NPOs. As Dinalane eyes the property next door for growth, her story reminds us: one home can spark a revolution. Initiatives like the Talking to Boys program reshape masculinity from toddlerhood, while economic empowerment—addressing the R36 billion annual loss—lifts women from vulnerability. In 2025, with GBVF as a declared disaster, South Africa stands at a crossroads—will we heed heroes like Cynthia, turning crisis into collective action for safe havens everywhere?
This Jozi tale of tenacity proves that amid darkness, light persists. By amplifying survivors’ voices, investing in shelters, and fostering positive masculinity, we edge closer to a nation where every woman and child thrives in safety. Dinalane’s legacy calls for unity: Letsema in action, ensuring no cry for help goes unanswered.