MEC in town for Green door campaign
This was to launch the green door campaign in the form of a safe house where victims of abuse and other crimes would receive help.
The MEC for Community Safety in Gauteng Faith Mazibuko visited Randfontein on 20 February to launch a Green Door safe house campaign aimed at supporting victims of abuse.
This was done at Plot 45 in Ten Acres near Hillside after the area was identified as one of the many crime hotspots that are far from the police station in Randfontein
According to Mazibuko, this is one of the many factors that hamper the reporting of criminal incidents and the purpose for the event was to establish a structure which would be walking distance for victims of abuse and other criminal offences.
“The concept of establishing safe houses in the form of a Green Door arose from realizing that the majority of police stations are still far for people and complainants usually have to travel a distance of 10 to 15 killmetres to report an incident even in the middle of the night.
“What we are trying to do with this initiative is to have a place nearby where people can go after hurtful experiences, be they of abuse or any other criminal incidents and where they know that they can find comfort.
“What will then happen is that they will receive the necessary care and counselling and be kept at the facility for a period of 3 to 4 hours.
“During this time, the police officers in the area would have been contacted to respond to the matter and deal with it in the appropriate manner,” says Mazibuko.
She adds that this will not replace any victim support centre but will merely add on to the existing support structures in communities.
The safe house will be run from an existing building or a wendy house that someone would have voluntered, however necessary support will be given to the volunters in running the facility.
