A new and innovative research chair for the dairy industry has been established at the University of Fort Hare (UFH), thanks to a generous R12.5 million endowment from AngloGold Ashanti. The plans and future of the project are filled with promises of creating new knowledge and developing needed human capacity. 

The chair will be hosted by the university’s Department of Livestock and Pasture Science in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, and a leader for the chair will soon be appointed. This will oversee the rollout of a new BSc degree in Dairy Science and Technology, and a variety of research projects in the field. In addition, the work will hopefully open the door of opportunity to the establishment of a Faculty of Veterinary Science at the university. 

The launch event of the chair was a lavish occasion that highlighted the importance of such a research entity, not only for the university but the dairy industry at large. As Dr Unathi Heshula said during the opening of the event: “There’s a beginning of a snowball effect that’s going to touch not only what we are doing today and generations to come, but also in terms of the institution itself.” 

The origins of the chair stem from the work that the university is already doing in the dairy industry, particularly in its partnership with Amadlelo dairy farm. Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Fort Hare, Prof Sakhela Buhlungu, said that the interaction between the dairy farm and students is currently minimal, but holds much potential. 

“The chair is a professorship that will then become the hub for research, training and for all sorts of other things will be based at this university,” he said. “After all, we’ve got the track record in science and agriculture, and then we’ve got the dairy farm. It’s a brilliant idea.”

This realisation then led the team to the need for an academic qualification in the country that focuses particularly on dairy science and technology. Beyond this, the university’s location in a key area for dairy farming nationally makes it perfectly suited for great impact in this field of expertise. 

Prof Buhlungu said this led the team to seek funding for the chair, challenging themselves and potential partners to come up with R25 million in total. The university put R2.5 million towards this goal, and AngloGold Ashanti joined in with R12.5 million, making the establishment and launch possible. 

“It’s here and now, at Fort Hare, and nowhere else in the country,” he said. “This is an idea whose time actually is now and we’re very grateful to all of you.” 

Ambassador Baso Sangqu, Senior Vice President for Group Sustainability at AngloGold Ashanti, lauded the university for pioneering this project. “This endowment represents a new dawn for knowledge production to support industrial growth, food security, shared prosperity, inclusivity, socio-economic development, and the upliftment of stakeholders in the dairy sector, including the whole value chain and the rural development of our communities.”

He explained that even though the company no longer runs mining operations in the country, it honours its long legacy of supporting the communities it has historically drawn its workforce from, particularly the Eastern Cape. Sangqu said the university and AngloGold Ashanti shared the purpose of having a positive social impact. “We’re both driven by a societal purpose larger than our own institutions, and we’re underpinned by enduring universal values.” 

Simpiwe Somdyala, Chief Executive Officer of Amadlelo Agri, echoed the excitement of what the chair will mean for the industry and province. He joked at the launch that he had considered wearing gumboots with his suit for the occasion to show that the partnership embodied practical as well as academic excellence.

“In countries like Canada, we’ve seen how research chairs have transformed societies and how through breakthrough technologies; we’ve seen new products being developed and new ways of doing things being initiated,” he said. “We’re hoping out of what we’re launching today, we will see that progress.”

Dr Nthabi Taole-Mjimba, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research Partnerships and Innovation at UFH, said the launch is a dream come true. “We are saying, as the University of Fort Hare, we want to remain relevant, especially here in the Eastern Cape, where most people rely on livestock.”

She emphasised that the chair is part of the institution’s larger plan to be a distinctively African university that is socially and contextually relevant. “We at the University of Fort Hare strive to be that African university that looks and tries to bring solutions through whatever we do. Through teaching and learning, research and community engagement, we want to be relevant to the communities that we serve.”

She explained that the project’s main objectives are to advance knowledge generation as well as human capital development. The focus on dairy technology, not just science, is another way to make a significant impact. “We are wanting to see products that actually come out through the utilisation of technology, when we do our research and ensure that possibly there will also be intellectual property that’s going to revive the economy of this province.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Milk Producers Organisation (MPO), Fanie Ferreira, said this project can be highly important and impactful for the industry at large. “There’s a big need for training in this area, specifically in the Eastern Cape, where there’s a huge amount of dairies, but a shortage of dairy managers.” 

He explained that the industry faces a number of challenges, such as a dearth of products catering to lower-income groups. “We’re very glad to know that such a facility has been established now, and that we can work together with them to overcome all these challenges.”

Group Executive of Digital Transformation and Acting Deputy CEO of Research, Innovation, Impact Support and Advancement at the National Research Foundation (NRF), Dr Gugu Moche, called the chair a well-thought-through initiative. She said it embodies ideals of transformation, impact, excellence and sustainability.

She praised UFH’s innovative way of looking at funding opportunities, offering uniquely African solutions and advancing excellence.  “At the end of the day, we will have not only research outputs, students graduating, and strengthened research capacities, but also a story that begins to talk about impact and transformation.”

The more immediate future of the chair is to appoint a team, solidify the BSc degree offering, and then develop further research and teaching. Sanqu said that he hopes the chair’s research outputs will be applied to communities far beyond the university and that a variety of stakeholders will play a part. “We look forward to seeing the fruits of these collaborations in the years to come, and we can assure you that we will accompany this process. “

Dr Taole-Mjimba emphasised that the future is long and bright, and that the chair is expected to last for many years. ”At the end of the day, we want to see this province changed for the better and to have the impact that one day, when we look back, we’ll see that this is what the University of Fort Hare did, and it has done it in a very meaningful way.”

South Africa’s first Bachelor’s degree focusing exclusively on dairy science and technology is set to be a crucial game changer for the University of Fort Hare (UFH) and the wider industry. 

The vision for the degree programme came about through the university’s most recent strategic plan implementation, and particularly that each faculty creates a new, niche programme that speaks to the institution’s unique setting and advantages. The fact that the university is a stakeholder in a local, award-winning dairy, but wasn’t teaching abundantly on this subject, led to the idea of a BSc in Dairy Science and Technology. 

This was then underscored by the fact that BSc programmes in the field of agriculture are some of the best-subscribed degrees in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture at UFH. “So it was clear that we had all the main ingredients needed, and we just needed to put together a program that would leverage what we already had,” said Prof Renuka Vithal, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at UFH and a professor of maths education.

While other higher education institutions in the country have modules on dairy science, this degree is special in its specific and thorough focus. “It would allow us to be a trailblazer in a very important area in the Eastern Cape and the country,” Prof Vithal said. 

This course is especially important because the province is the largest and arguably the best producer of milk in the country. However, it does very little of the country’s milk processing. So, producing skilled staff in this field will speak to a significant need and opportunity.  

Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UFH, Prof Sakhela Buhlungu, said that the development of this degree was inspired by similar offerings internationally, such as in the Netherlands and France. “If we do it in South Africa, we’ll be the first, leading the pack,” he said.  

The planned BSc is a four-year degree that allows direct access to a Master’s afterwards. The course content will build on the dairy science and technology elements already present in other programmes at UFH. It will also touch on food technology aspects to speak to the need for milk processing. The BSc programme is also being developed to consider relevant and developing issues, such as food security. The UFH team plans to articulate this program with the surrounding agricultural colleges, to give wider access to the community.

In the fourth year, there is also a research component, which will grow that capability in the department. This research will likely stem organically from the work with the local dairy farm, and possibly feed back into its work. 

The degree programme is currently under review by the Department of Higher Education and Training, before going through approval processes at other relevant bodies. It will then hopefully come into effect in the next few years. 

Prof Vithal explained how they are working towards their goals while waiting on the process. “In the meantime, we have allocated funding to upgrade our farms and we are doing a major renovation and upgrading of our agricultural labs so that we’ll have all the infrastructure in place in order to support the programme,” she said. 

Dr Nthabi Taole-Mjimba, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research Partnerships and Innovation, added that there are further developments in this regard. “Currently we are trying to revamp our current research farm. It’s not in the best state, but we have started to work on it. We invested R9.7 million last year just to ensure that it becomes the state-of-the-art farm that we know.”

The recent launch and endowment of the AngloGold Ashanti Research Chair in Dairy Science and Technology at the University speaks to this wider vision. Vithal explained that once appointed, the Chair can then provide expertise in offering the programme once approved, and develop postgraduate and further research programmes. 

“So, we have a long-term view on developing this as a niche area for the University of Fort Hare into the future that will provide the graduates needed to support this industry of dairy and milk production and technology in a serious way that can also be a major economic impetus to the province.”

Dr Taole-Mjimba added how the BSc will be building the foundation for further research and programmes, to ultimately have a significant impact. ”You will begin to see how the pipeline will then be strengthened to ensure that we have enough capacity in the province to do the things that we want to do in strengthening research in dairy science, but also supplying the much-needed human capital in the discipline.”

Prof Vithal said: “Besides placing the University of Fort Hare in a leading position in developing this as a key research niche area, and also producing graduates, this is also a very key component of producing graduates who could into the future directly support the development and growth of the dairy industry in the Eastern Cape.”

The long-term vision embraces the idea that the university could be key in growing the dairy industry in terms of processing, not just farming, and for both small-scale and large-scale farming. “The main goal is for  the university to stimulate the sector in the province to then take the lead in providing the education, training and research infrastructure and the support and all the other things that are needed to establish the processing component of it.”

The university’s location means that the agricultural fields of study in particular attract a lot of local students, hence a state-of-the-art and inclusive programme would feed directly back into the area. “The University of Fort Hare would in a major way leverage its location in a rural context drawing on rural students coming from diverse settings and being able to then sustain and develop the economy, develop small and large businesses and so on into the future,” Prof Vithal said. 

She said that this programme will also speak to how farming is developing internationally, especially in terms of technology used in fields like genetic analysis, farm management strategies and soil analysis. She believes that this can be particularly helpful to the province in the long run. 

This programme will also fit into the university’s wider offering and complement it. For instance, a new Bachelor of Entrepreneurship is also in the approval process. “This will enable us to then provide entrepreneurship training across our Bachelor programs,” Prof Vithal said. 

A key part of the plan is to eventually establish a new faculty of veterinary science, which would be only the second one in the country. Prof Vithal explained that in concept documents already submitted, this would  have a particular focus on the need for livestock veterinarians in the country. “In the Eastern Cape, when companies or farms require veterinary services, they actually fly in vets.”

For now, the BSc in Dairy Science and Technology is an exciting first step towards building a stronger future for UFH and the region. Vithal has high hopes for the programme. “It just seems like it’s supposed to have been done yesterday!” 

“Growing South Africa from the land up” is one of the key slogans of the Amadlelo Agri group. This vision will continue and expand as new possibilities are opened through a new dairy-focused research unit at Amadlelo’s long-standing partner, the University of Fort Hare (UFH). 

“The vision for the Fort Hare Dairy was formed in 2006, and only recently do we see one element of that being realised through the establishment of a research chair,” said Amadlelo’s CEO, Simpiwe Somdyala.

The company was formed in 2004 and its first operation project was the Fort Hare Dairy Trust two years later, in partnership with UFH. This has led to a 420-hectare working dairy farm that produces millions of litres of milk each year. 

The farm was set up by Amadlelo, which raised private-sector funding to get it going. While the university owns 50% of the dairy farm, the farm itself is operated by a trust, which is governed by both the university and Amadlelo. 

“The vision for setting up this dairy was about advancing research knowledge and using it as a demonstration or experiential farm, while at the same time ensuring that it is commercially viable, so it has to be a profitable business,” Somdyala said.  

He said that the partnership is a great opportunity to bring Amadlelo’s practical business knowledge of operating a dairy together with the university’s academic strength. By bridging the gap between research and practical operation, both benefit. 

The trust and Amadlelo’s work is now set to be boosted even further by the University of Fort Hare’s recent announcement of the Research Chair in Dairy Science & Technology. The post will fall under the UFH’s Faculty of Science and Agriculture, and was made possible by a R12.5 million endowment from mining giant AngloGold Ashanti.

“Research is key,” Somdyala said. He believes the new research chair will enable even further growth for the dairy trust. For example, the work of the chair could look at the socioeconomic dynamics of rural agro-enterprises in the area, to make them more competitive. It may touch on a variety of technical aspects, from the best suitable breeds, to the local environment, to issues of soil and land management. 

UFH Vice Chancellor and Principal Prof Sakhela Buhlungu has described the research chair position as proof of the university’s commitment to leveraging academic strengths for the benefit of local communities and the broader dairy industry. 

This vision is aligned with the heart of Amadlelo’s mission as a majority black-owned company that works to provide support services to upcoming black farmers. The company looks to share its knowledge and expertise with those farmers looking to build prosperous agribusinesses and acquire resources. Its aim is to make key transformative strides in the agriculture industry.  

Somdyala explained how that desire grew: “It’s a company that was started by a group of commercial farmers and black business people.”  He said that these farmers sought to contribute to agricultural transformation and economic inclusion, and that the predominantly white commercial farmers were asking themselves how they could play a role in advancing economic inclusion in the country. 

“So the focus of Amadlelo, which is pretty much made up of just over 70 different individuals with one purpose in mind, is unlocking the potential of government land that’s underutilised.” 

Somdyala further described the role of Amadlelo as that of an aggregator of skills and assets. The company’s long-term goal is to get each farm they are assisting to be profitable and sustainable. Amadlelo does this by first partnering with communities who have land, and then forming a co-op with the multiple landowners, which in turn partner with Amadlelo.

“What we realise is that small-scale communities would own 0.5 hectares of land, and really there are no economies of scale, and these land parcels are so small that to make them economically viable we would aggregate them to form these viable commercial units.”

But this work requires a lot of support and innovative approaches. Both UFH and Amadlelo believe that technology and scientific research will be key to overcoming some of the challenges that traditional farmers face. This is the kind of research the university focuses on and partners with Amadlelo in.

Now it will be taken a step further. The research will be driven by the university, and is not only confined to the dairy industry. The findings will expand beyond local communities and seek to influence the research agenda in the Eastern Cape and nationally.

“Dairy is not just about the milking of cows, ” Somdyala said. “It’s got all other elements that are linked to it, which relates to grain production, feed, fodder production and mitigating climate change issues. So those are the things that are critical, as we are also looking at expanding the rural dairy footprint in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of our country.”

While the Fort Hare Dairy Trust is sure to benefit from the research of the chair, Amadlelo is committed to supporting the partnership in a reciprocal way. Somdyala said that a key portion of the profits will go back into funding the university’s research chair.

“We’ve made a commitment that we will, from the profits that we make, contribute to the research chair each year,” he said. “That’s a sign and a commitment that we have as a business to the importance of research and advancing knowledge.”

On top of the game-changing research chair announcement, the university has also revealed that it hopes to soon offer a BSc qualification specifically in dairy science and technology. This degree is set to be the first of its kind available in South Africa.

It is an exciting prospect for both Amadlelo and the Fort Hare Dairy Trust, as it opens up new possibilities for working with the university — and it’s a big opportunity for students of the Eastern Cape.

Somdyala highlighted that with the Eastern Cape being the number one province for milk production in the country, the new qualification will allow more UFH graduates to be absorbed into the Dairy Trust.

Another key benefit of the specialised qualification is in the blending of skills from different parts of a dairy and agricultural business. Previously, Amadlelo has had to deal with staff coming in, and only being experts on one side of the business. For instance, staff may focus on livestock management or soil science. 

Going forward, the new qualification could change all of that. “So, you are blending the two, because we’ll run pasture-based dairies, so coming in with that kind of background from an education point of view is going to be good for the industry,” said Somadlala.

While it is yet to be seen how the exciting developments at the UFH are likely to influence the Fort Hare Dairy Trust and Amadlelo, it is sure to be successful. Amadlelo’s strong track record and love for the community are set to pair well with the innovative work the chair has planned. Somdyala is adamant that advanced research, for instance on climate change and how farmers can adapt, will be crucial to the local industry. 

The premier organisation representing dairy farmers around the country looks to the University of Fort Hare’s (UFH) newly launched AngloGold Ashanti Research Chair in Dairy Science & Technology as a way to solve practical problems through innovative research. 

The Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) is a voluntary organisation, funded by contributions, that focuses on making the South African dairy industry more profitable, sustainable and competitive. 

“There are about 880 dairy farmers left in South Africa,” said MPO’s CEO Fanie Ferreira. “They produce about nine million litres of milk a day, and we represent them on basically all levels.“

The MPO represents dairy farmers’ needs and concerns in matters concerning the government and institutions such as the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa and the National Animal Health Forum. “Whatever comes up day-to-day in the needs of the farmers and they need to be represented — that is our job.” 

For instance, during the recent Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, the MPO stepped in to help dairy farmers vaccinate their herds preventatively, despite the risks involved. It worked with the Department of Agriculture to make exceptions and interventions that protected the livelihoods of many in the industry. 

The MPO also has an agricultural economic desk that compiles weekly reports to help dairy producers understand micro- and macroeconomic factors, on a local and international level, that might affect them. 

The organisation’s in-house training facility offers a wide range of accredited training, on topics like artificial insemination and socioeconomic empowerment. “Even a very inexperienced farm worker who turns up on the farm and shows potential can go through training courses and can be eventually trained to run the whole dairy farm on his own,” Ferreira said. 

Unfortunately, the amount of dairy farmers in South Africa has shrunk significantly over the last decade, but Ferreira said those left in the industry are extremely efficient and professional. “It’s an enormous challenge that we have, and we’ve got a very unique primary industry,” Ferreira said. “If we compare it to the rest of the world, we are definitely leaders in many aspects.” 

Research for growth

The University of Fort Hare’s recent launch of the AngloGold Ashanti Research Chair in Dairy Science & Technology signifies a big step towards improved research and support for the dairy industry, which is likely to have a significant impact on the MPO and its members. 

The research chair is still in its infancy, but it has already received a sizable endowment, and Ferreira said there is exciting work that lies ahead.   

“We do know that it is a very necessary action, and that there’s a lot of things that need to be done that can be done on a primary level, regarding research development and transformation for upcoming and new black farmers, and so forth.”

Ferreira explained that South Africa has a highly sophisticated quality and range of dairy products on offer. “If you stand in front of a dairy shelf in one of our retailers in South Africa, you close your eyes and you open it, you might as well be in London or in New York, or in any highly developed country in the world.”

But there is a significant gap in milk products designed specifically for lower-income households. The MPO estimates that up to 30 million people in South Africa don’t use dairy products on a daily basis. Various research shows that even moderate amounts of milk in the diet of children can significantly benefit their development. “So once we can start competing on that level, there will be a huge amount of scope for growth, especially in the primary dairy industry,” Ferreira said.

This is a prime example of how research from UFH could develop and grow the local dairy industry. Currently, excess milk leads to producers cutting down on prices, because there appears to be no demand in the system. Developing stronger lower-income sector consumption would thus support both consumers and producers. 

Ferreira sees this as both one of the biggest challenges and opportunities in the current market, which he said has stagnated in the last few years. “If we can do that successfully, we will be able to perhaps double what we currently produce, but right now, we can only dream about that.”

Research for development

Another key area that research could affect in the dairy industry is development and transformation. This is a crucial issue in need of change in South Africa, but Ferreira said transformation initiatives need a significant push, which may be stimulated through research. 

“If we can show the industry out there that we are serious about transformation and developing new dairy farmers, I’m sure there are hundreds of millions of rands that will be available through different funding channels,” Ferreira said. “We just need to make a start.”

Other countries offer inspiration for how the dairy industry can empower small-scale farmers across the rural-urban divide and various demographics. Ferreira provided the example of India, where millions of people farm only a few cows each, resulting in the largest cumulative dairy production in the world.  

Kenya, Africa’s biggest per capita dairy-consuming nation, has a similar system. Families tend to keep the milk from the evening for themselves and sell what is milked in the morning. 

“There’s absolutely nothing in existence today in South Africa that supports such a system,” he said. “If we could start this on a small scale somewhere — and the Eastern Cape, I think, is a very good example of where it could work — it could be built from there.” 

Capacity to grow the industry

Another exciting possibility for growth comes in the form of UFH’s innovative BSc in Dairy Science and Technology, which will be the first degree of its kind in the country. Beyond this, UFH hopes to eventually establish a Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, with a particular focus on livestock. 

“We can never have enough vets, and we can never have enough qualified people in the dairy industry to take care of the needs of a growing industry,” Ferreira said. The recent problem of Foot and Mouth Disease in dairy herds showed the importance not only of veterinary professionals but knowledge of animal health more holistically. 

“We still need to do a lot of research on that and we still need a lot of help, especially in terms of getting people around the table and deciding how to handle this going forward, regarding vaccinations and a positive herd. There’s not enough written and talked about concerning all these dairy diseases, so enough veterinarians will always be handy.” 

Despite the challenges facing the dairy industry, those working to move it forward, like the Milk Producers’ Organisation, are hopeful and energetic about the future, particularly regarding the new developments at UFH. 

Ferreira said: “We are looking forward to working with this facility and we were very glad to know that it has been established, and that we can work together to overcome all these challenges.”

The rolling hills and green fields of the Eastern Cape are not just beautiful, but crucial. The province’s dairy industry has long stood as an important contributor to the economy and offers exciting future promise, particularly through research.

The University of Fort Hare (UFH) launched the AngloGold Ashanti Research Chair in Dairy Science and Technology in June, at the UFH Alice campus. With it comes the planned establishment of a BSc degree focusing specifically on the dairy industry, and a future Faculty of Veterinary Sciences.

At the launch of the Research Chair, UFH Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Sakhela Buhlungu explained that the development of this exciting position came in part from the university’s location. 

“We realised that we exist, live and operate alongside a belt of dairy farms, stretching from the other side of Gqeberha all the way into KwaZulu-Natal,” he said. “Some of the best dairy farms are in this region and we are situated right in the middle of it.” 

He explained that the hope from inception was that not only would the university and its students gain from the research, but that the dairy industry around the institution would also benefit.

Dr Nthabi Taole-Mjimba, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research Partnerships and Innovation, adds that around a quarter of South Africa’s cattle are in the province. “This is the right place,” she said. “The University of Fort Hare has got what it takes to host this very important Research Chair. “ 

According to data from the Milk Producers Organisation (MPO), The Eastern Cape produced around 28% of the country’s milk in 2022. This makes it the third-largest province after the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. However, it has the largest number of cows in a herd per producer in the country, at 1 121 in 2022. 

It is ideal for these developments to be located in the Eastern Cape, given the province’s strength and potential in the dairy industry in particular. While the northern parts of the country used to be the main dairy-producing region around twenty or thirty years ago, this now only accounts for around 7-8% of national production. 

Chief Executive Officer of the MPO, Fanie Ferreira, said: “All the production of dairy has actually gone down to the coastal areas to KZN and the Eastern Cape, and there’s only one factor — because they can produce it cheaper there, more effectively.”

Ferreira explains that this is mainly because the soil and rain patterns of the region work together in ideal ways to create top-class pastures and with it, affordable, high-yield milk. 

Farmers in the Eastern Cape mainly rely on a pasture system rather than a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) method.  This means that cows walk to nearby fields to graze and return to the dairy to be milked, instead of being fed with grain and other feed on-site. This is not only efficient but affordable. 

“This is a more sustainable way of farming,” he said. “It’s well known in terms of pasture systems in South Africa, that farmers who do it right and well will tell you: sustainability is profitability.”

CEO of Amadlelo Agri Simpiwe Somdyala agreed: “We are predominantly pasture-based, which means the animals roam and are free and healthy. And that is only possible in an environment where you’ve got those natural endowments, like the land, soils and water.“

Somdyala said that while the Eastern Cape is already particularly competitive in the dairy industry, there is even more potential for growth. “Being one of the top producers in the country, it’s an opportunity for a poor province like ours to really build upon and be much stronger. We believe that we can do it, and we should build competitiveness around that.”

He said that one should consider the entire dairy value chain and the wider ecosystem in terms of increased competitiveness. For instance, he said there is an opportunity for growth in the grain sector in the Eastern Cape, which is typically stronger in the Free State province. 

Another key asset to the local dairy industry that has room for growth is human resources. “Skills are critical. It’s not the farm that makes money, it’s the farmer. It’s the people who run the farms,” Somdyala said. “So it’s important to build this talent that will drive this industry.”

Linked to this is the important opportunity that large parts of the Eastern Cape are rural and the land is underutilised. This offers great potential for the dairy industry. “So we need to research those [areas], where you can derive this competitiveness,” Somdyala said. 

However, starting more dairy farms in these parts of the province, particularly towards the East, brings significant challenges with it. The infrastructure, such as roads and water systems, is often lacking or insufficient, and the approval process for industry licences is frequently difficult. 

“There’s no way you can unlock this potential without stronger infrastructure,” Somdyala said. “Dairy, in particular, is not an easy business.” One way to progress, which has been a clear focus for Amadlelo as a company, is to aggregate small rural pieces of land that are under communal ownership. He said their success with this so far shows that this growth is possible. But, more research is needed. 

Ambassador Baso Sangqu, Senior Vice President for Group Sustainability at AngloGold Ashanti, echoed this at the Research Chair launch. “It is very much an agricultural province where you see a lot of livestock. Every other community and every other family has one or two cattle or livestock in their homesteads, but yet these are not being utilised.” He noted that he hopes the UFH’s Research Chair and other developments will affect these communities. 

These uniquely localised opportunities for growth make the university’s work ideal for the Eastern Cape. The Deputy Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at UFH, Prof Renuka Vithal, said: “I really think the university has great potential to contribute.” She lauded the university for choosing particularly the more remote UFH Alice campus for this project. 

She echoed Somdyala’s point that the rural and underdeveloped industry in parts of the province could be particularly stimulated. This research and development of various aspects of the dairy industry would then ideally support the economy of the area as a whole. “We see this as a way to work together and to support each other to address these challenges of unemployment and poverty, which is so needed. 

“We do see that the University of Fort Hare can contribute to both stimulating the development of  Dairy Science and related industries in the Eastern Cape, as well as providing the graduates and the research knowledge needed to support and sustain that industry in the province.”

The Eastern Cape already holds a wealth of experience and industry in terms of dairy production. But, with exciting new developments in the sphere of research and more, the future looks bright. 

What do you think people don’t know about you?

I grew up being a very shy child. I kept to myself most of the time. I never used to understand, because we’d go out in large groups and my friends would come back energised, but I would come back feeling so tired. But I had to learn that that’s how we are as introverts. So, now I know. I tell people after big crowds that I need to rest; I’m not like other people. I have grown into it and I’m forced to be in the crowds, so most people just don’t know how shy I can be.

And I used to be an actress in high school. Most of the performers, you’d be surprised, are quite introverted. People have said that when you are on stage talking, you become a completely different person, but when you are sitting down there in the crowd, I just blend in. 

The year when we didn’t go to school because there was a strike, and we couldn’t write [exams] I then used that time with some people in the small town of Virginia in the Free State. 

We had this whole play called The Confused Family that we put on and people actually came and paid for it. So that was fascinating.

Your job is not the typical job for an introvert because you work with collectives and groups. What do you do to recharge? 

The greatest gift for me was self-awareness and awakening to myself. Just to know what are the strengths and limitations of my personality type. I remember in 2008, when we had the xenophobic attacks, I just completely pulled back. I remember in the organisation, people misunderstood me to be cold and uncaring, but it was overwhelming, so I just automatically got into my shell.

I think the best gift was when I went to a life coach, and she really just helped me to understand who I am. She used the Enneagram [model] and my personality is a nine and by nature we tend to blend. Sometimes we’re scared of our power, scared of conflict. So, I really had to push myself to not operate from what I call the wounded side. 

My mom is very busy. She always works and she rests when she sits down. My sister is the same. So, I used to feel guilty for resting because they were my role models, but I really had to shift and just learn that it’s okay that I’m not like them.

When I’m tired, I rest. I understand that resting is really critical for me. Now, during Covid-19, my daughter and I have discovered what we call ‘pyjama days’ and that just completely refreshes me. 

Sunday afternoons are sacred. I don’t interact with anyone. Just knowing that there is that space to rest. So for me, resting is the critical component of who I am. 

Another thing about my personality type is that we tend to disconnect from ourselves a lot. So, almost every morning I do a meditation where I really connect to myself and what matters to me. When I’m more connected to myself I’m much more effective.

What kind of activities bring you joy?

I mean, it almost sounds crazy, but I just like activities where I do nothing. Just sitting in my bed watching a movie next to my daughter. Just like being in a space where there are no expectations — I’m just being. That’s really what I like to do.

That’s why I don’t understand when people say they’re bored. I can never be bored when I’m with myself. Like never. I feel I don’t have enough time with my thoughts to process and think. So, just sitting bingeing on a Netflix series. 

What do you watch and why? 

Most of the time, I really like the South African ones. I think I’ve watched most of them. And I love the South African ones because I want to see myself in the face of people. Always when I’m watching a movie, for me, it’s also a learning. I always question, what are the characters that I’m really enjoying and why I’m enjoying them? It’s because there’s something about their story­line that speaks to my life and that “aha moment”.

So I really feel there aren’t sufficient stories that are told about us. We are constantly seeing other people in the faces of all the movies and the media. So, I search specially for South African or if it’s American, I like black American movies, because the storylines really speak to the reality of some of us.

How do you think your family and friends would describe you? 

In the Enneagram that we spoke about, it sees me as the peacemaker, but there is also the challenger personality type, which is the eight. And so when they were younger, my kids used to say “‘no, you are an age definitely an eight!” So, I guess my kids just see me as somebody who at home likes to take charge and control. 

I think they wouldn’t see the shyness. I think my kids would actually be shocked that I think I’m shy.

I’ve been told I’m stubborn. That was a big awakening, because I identified myself more as growing up as this good kid. But it’s true; I had to accept that. Usually when I believe that something is right or when I’m passionate about something my approach is: I don’t disturb you, I’m a peaceful person, so don’t you come and disturb me. 

Whatever decisions I make, they’re really guided by my principles, so it becomes difficult to move me away from that. 

I still think of myself as shy. Maybe it’s not even shy. I do push myself because I’m passionate about what I do, but I don’t like being in the spotlight. You know, I’m comfortable to blend. I don’t like to put up out there, it just feels uncomfortable. 

I understand it’s just who I am and what I’m made of. 

The biggest learning for me was to step into my power. I grew up really being just scared of my power. Not seeing it, but also growing up giving it to other people. I trust people, I like people, people feel I like them around, but my greatest work has just been to take my power and create boundaries with people.

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I would probably be an artist. A performing artist creating things with my hands, yeah … to make people feel things and to allow people to come to themselves. Using my art to help people heal themselves, essentially. It just would have been healing but through art.

In the past year you’ve made a big decision to leave the clinical field of medicine. What is important in your daily routine right now?

It’s the basics. It’s in the things my body needs: making sure I rest enough, eat enough food, drink enough water. Making sure that I reflect in terms of an emotional stocktaking of how I’m doing and how the things that happened yesterday have made me feel. I’m more focused on trying to build on my body and my daily routine.

But really the biggest thing has been “me time”, because previously my whole day was spent giving and running around so that I could give and heal, but more of my day now is spent around healing myself through multiple different modalities, like meditation.

You speak a lot about rest and healing. How did you learn what works and doesn’t work for you?

I’ve basically been at two extremes, where I was not resting at all and then got to this year … because of the profession I chose, I was basically living the consequences of not living a restful life. 

After 36 hours of not having rest because of my work, I ended up getting into a really bad car accident. I realised how important rest was when I had so much of a lack of rest. That caused me to not be able to drive properly and driving is something that I do every day, you know?

It showed me in my own life, the cost of a lack of rest and how directly it can affect my life as well as the lives around me and how my life can be snuffed out in a moment just because I’m lacking rest. 

So, that’s why it’s become such an important thing to me because I’ve seen what not having enough rest does to you and how anxious it makes you and basically how your life has been disturbed. I don’t think people know that lack of rest can result in these horrific things.

In contrast, tell me about some of the spaces in your life now that make you feel like yourself and alive?

I would say outside. When I was working as a health worker, I wouldn’t know what the weather was outside. I would hear from people that it’s cold or that the sun is shining outside beautifully but I’d never actually get to experience it.

So, the place where I feel most like myself and most free is when I’m outdoors. Not just buildings;, I mean, rocks, trees and lakes, because it just reminds me of the speed that my body should be going at.

In this time, what have you discovered or rediscovered about yourself?

I enjoy time alone. I get charged up by spending time alone. I really thought I was an introverted extrovert or an extroverted introvert, but I always thought that I gathered my energy from people. When I hold space for myself that allows me after that, to be able to hold space for other people. So, that’s really become something that I actively know.

What do you do when you’re alone? 

I sing. I dance. I colour in. I listened to myself, to whatever I feel like doing.

I just like to move by myself from my room, and just decided to have a whole dance party. I’ve been doing it for some time, but I just didn’t have much time or space to do it before. But now that I’ve sort of broken away from all those things, I’ve got time and space a lot more to be by myself. Looking at myself in the mirror while dancing and laughing. You know, like I just try to keep myself entertained.

Where do you live? 

I technically see myself as a nomad because I’m trying to be everywhere. I’m living between two cities in South Africa. I am living a nomadic lifestyle, sort of going and staying where I want to be at that time. I’ve never wanted to get a mortgage and tie myself down to one place. So, I really feel like as I’m getting older, I’m starting to do what I want to do. And what I want to do is to be between different places and be able to experience the good and the bad and all of those places.

It feels so good, because I was always in situations where I was living in doctors’ quarters. I never actually got to live by myself and also for people not to know where I am. It’s just nice to finally, after all these years, feel like I’m in control of something in terms of my whereabouts, because as health workers after medical school you’re placed wherever you’re placed.

Do you unpack your bag? And what is always with you in your bag? 

Yes, I do. Naturally I don’t want to, but I have been advised that it’s good that I can see all the things that I have. 

I have this really great red dress. I can wear it anywhere. It’s got a cool picture of a naked, dancing woman on the front, so nobody ever knows where to look when I’m wearing this dress, but I always take it because it’s so comfortable. 

What are your earliest memories of joy?

Wow, well, it’s always had to do with food. I think one of my ultimate favourite early memories is of my grandfather having taken us out to a restaurant as a family. He loved introducing us to new food experiences and the first time he put a prawn to my mouth was the ultimate happiness. I’ve always loved food and new textures and flavours.

Were they fancy restaurants?

As a kid, going to a restaurant always felt fancy, but 35 years ago there weren’t [any]. But when we were growing up in Pretoria, we’d go out to Crazy Prawn, you know, one of those typical South African steak restaurants. So, nothing fancy, just a family going out and enjoying a great meal together. Fancy restaurants only came a little bit later in my life.

And how did they?

I think my first fine dining experience was at La Madeleine when I was about six or seven years old. Now, my grandmother always used to make smoky mussels with a little bit of lemon juice and put them on Salticrax. So we went to La Madeleine and chef Daniel Leusch came out and explained the menu to us. When he said oysters, in my head I saw these mussels like my grandmother made. This plate arrived with these hard shell oysters. At that point, my parents thought that if this is what she wants to experience and taste, then let her, because I’d always been quite an adventurous eater. But these oysters arrived and it was not what I thought I had ordered. Needless to say, my dad had to finish the rest of the plate. But that was my first fine dining experience, and after that I made sure I knew the difference between my mussels and my oysters.

Community and family is a huge part of food for you. 

Indeed, because this is what brings people together. The entire philosophy of the restaurant has always been taking people and bringing them into an environment where you almost forget about the everyday hustle and bustle of reality, and just have this moment of escapism where you can truly just forget what’s happening around you and totally immerse yourself in this magical experience. And afterwards step away and feel rejuvenated. 

Speaking of magic, do you remember what fairy tales were your favourite? 

It’s difficult to say which one was actually my favourite fairy tale. I’m thinking about Jack and the Beanstalk because I could never understand how a plant could grow that big. Until we actually started experimenting in school when we had to put the little seeds in between the two cotton buds and saw this process of things growing and developing. That’s when I became fascinated by gardening and plants.

Considering you have chosen a castle as your next location, I thought you were going to mention princesses.

Everything that has had a big influence on my life has come from nature. It’s inspired my style of cooking and the locations, both Restaurant Mosaic and now the new Château des Tesnières. We’re in a beautiful, magical village where the legends of Merlin and King Arthur come from, so it’s almost like that lured us to the area. 

Why France specifically?

I’ve always been a big Francophile. I’ve always had this great love for anything French. And we’ve been travelling to France almost every year since I can remember. So, a lot of our travels we plan to visit France, visiting Paris but also going into the countryside. Obviously, I’ve had magical dining experiences across the world, but France has just always had a very special place in my heart.

It will take a few years until you renovate the castle and open the restaurant and hotel. Do you consider yourself a patient person?

I don’t think I’ve ever been a patient person, because in the determination to succeed and to be a success you’re always working at an incredible pace. Being in the kitchen, everything always has to happen very fast. I found that I am somebody who likes things to happen now. So, considering the prospect of something having to wait for five years before it is there is, like, “Oh my goodness, it’s going to be such a long time.” But at the tempo we’re going now already and everything that has happened in this period, time is literally just flying by. 

And I assume you speak fluent French?

Not yet, but we’re aiming to get there. The village where we are, nobody speaks a word of English, so it’s inspired me to really practise hard every day. 

Everything about you is elegant. How do you define your personal style?

I think I was born in the wrong year. In the Eighties I totally felt out of place, and I think that I would have definitely fitted more in the 1900s Belle Époque / Art Nouveau period, because that is my ultimate great love. So I’ve always loved something a little bit vintage, a little bit chic and always aspire to that type of jewellery and that sense of sensuality and beauty and intricacy. So that’s where I find my inspiration and get my personal style from.

You are a fan of porcelain and beautiful plates. 

Some people have shoe and handbag fetishes, I have a plate fetish. And what’s even more fascinating is discovering local artists who worked with me at Mosaic, creating dishes or porcelain for specific creations from my kitchen. 

There was a dish that was inspired by the ocean, and Retief van Wyk, a very talented glassblower I worked with quite regularly, created a plate after sitting around the table and me explaining to him this is the dish that I want, how this is what it must look like and people must feel like they’re sitting by the ocean.

What is a small luxury or treat that you love to indulge in, guilty or otherwise?

The first thing that came to mind was truffle but it’s not truffle, you know, because although I absolutely adore truffle, it’s saved for special occasions. I think that my ultimate indulgence is just having some pure chocolates. Just having a first bite of beautiful couverture chocolate in your mouth and dissolving it and you’re experiencing the flavours. There’s nothing that beats that feeling. So that is definitely an indulgence.

Is there anything in the kitchen that you avoid? 

I’ve never been a big fan of olives, so this is something that you will never find in any of my dishes. This is also to do with my grandfather, because the entire family was there visiting and he said, “Come and have this grape” and he popped this in my mouth and all of a sudden I bit into it and it was just this bitter, briny flavour all over my mouth. I’ve tried several times; I thought maybe I’ll grow out of it and develop a palate for it. It’s never happened.

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Celuxolo Stewart, known as Gogo Simenjalo, lights a bundle of impepho and lays out two mats several metres apart in her suburban Johannesburg garden. She says she enjoys being so close to nature now that her spiritual consultations have moved from her traditional indumba room to under the trees. 

“I love working in the garden. If our ancestors allow, it’s something that I will keep doing going forward.”

Audio of Celuxolo Stewart, known as Gogo Simenjalo

Like Gogo Simenjalo, some took this as a time to rest and re-evaluate their ways of practising, but for many, this was a loss of both income and rapport with their communities.

Janet Mmalai Xaba, known as Gogo Molahlegi, the spokesperson for the Traditional Healers’ Organisation (THO), says that the pandemic has had a significant effect on many healers. 

“We did understand because of trying to save lives, but how do you save lives on an empty stomach? That’s why it was a bit tough for us.”

As consultations opened again, the work had to adapt. Whereas most clients were willing to wear masks and sanitise, Gogo Molahlegi says some of THO’s more rural members didn’t have the necessary water to wash hands.

Acquisition of herbs for remedies was also hampered while popular traditional medicine markets were closed and harvesters could not access nature freely. Herbalists learned to courier remedies to clients, particularly for respiratory teas, for which there was a high demand. 

Social distancing was a more difficult expectation on healers who did not have gardens or bigger spaces or who preferred to practise in their traditional consultation rooms. 

A healer in Kempton Park, Keagile Malatji, known as Makhosi Kamo, says they discouraged group and family consultations, and only one person was allowed in the shrine. She moved these appointments online. 

Other healers, used to consulting on a spontaneous walk-in basis, had to adapt to scheduling appointments and leaving time between clients to sanitise the space. This has also cut down the number of people they can help, says Gogo Molahlegi. 

“For now I only take emergency patients and follow all health protocols so that my patients and I can be safe,” says Mkhulu Mkhontokayise, a healer who works in Cape Town and Johannesburg. 

Rituals interrupted

Various healers say the aspect of their practice most affected by interruptions has been the rituals they perform, particularly those requiring the slaughter of animals or group visits to mountains or bodies of water. 

Thembinkosi Lusenga, known as Gogo Dumezulu, tells a story of a client for whom a ritual had to be postponed, who then called to say their child had died and that it was the healer’s fault. 

Listen to Gogo Dumezulu tell her story.

Such experiences make her yearn for the voices of healers to have been heard more during Covid-19 consultations.

Ntandokazi Nodada, known as Gogo Dumolubomvu, adds that alcohol and tobacco bans also halted some spiritual processes which require these substances. 

“It was a pressurising situation for a lot of people who had outstanding rituals that they had to do, and so we just had to sit and wait it out because we couldn’t work,” she says. 

She explains that this is important because it may mean that the ancestors’ wishes are not appeased, resulting in more significant symptoms or additional problems for the client. 

Covid-19 guidelines for traditional healers were released in May 2020, after some pressure and consultation with bodies such as the THO. 

The guidelines classify traditional health practitioners as essential workers who require permits to move around under the specific lockdown conditions, but not for the work itself. They list the roles traditional healers should play in the pandemic, including triaging and referral of patients to appropriate levels of care as well as public health messaging. Most, however, agree that the communication was not clear and enforcement not uniform.

“It depends on how clued up you are on the systems of the government,” says Makhosi Gwiji Gqoli, the chairperson of the Ugu district in KwaZulu-Natal for the National Unitary Professional Association for African Traditional Health Practitioners of South Africa. 

He used his permit to travel to clients around the country but says this had its issues, such as finding and getting spiritually acquainted with new spaces in nature.

Although healers were able to get permits, the clients who needed to be present for certain rituals could not. Several healers say they believe law enforcement officials added to the difficulties or confusion, and that it may have been easier in rural areas to access nature without a permit. 

Makhosi Gwiji Gqoli says that they tried to play it safe at times by hiring larger vehicles to transport groups of people to ritual spaces while still under the maximum limit for passengers: “We tried to find loopholes around it to work.” 

He says several rituals, including the initiation of new healers, were not possible and remain suspended.

GogoOnline is a database for traditional healers that was launched during lockdown to advertise their services. Co-founder and healer in training, Xhanti Madolo says that while the platform observed healers accessing permits, he believes healers were held back not just by the lockdown regulations but by a historical lack of recognition.  

“The traditional healer space is not as recognised as the Western doctors to begin with. So you find that the permits that were given were sort of a blanket one and not specific to how you heal or how you don’t heal, and how many people you can get [to attend to].“

Healing online 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these healers have moved some of their work online, through telephonic and video calls. Gogo Simenjalo had already been connecting with her community through social media and videos and blogs on her media platform, AfroSavvy. But, she still had to learn to set up correctly for virtual consults. 

“It’s challenged me. I had to actually learn new skills. So I think that it’s not only opened up new avenues, it’s forced me to just buckle up and catch up with technology.”

Like others who have made this step, Gogo Simenjalo says she consulted with her ancestors to work this way and advises her clients to make sure their own ancestors are also comfortable with this. To strengthen the connection, she lights a candle on her side and asks the client to do the same. 

Gogo Dumolubomvu had already consulted online but increased this during the pandemic. 

“I think I’ve been quite fortunate in that even before lockdown, I was already doing online consultations,” says the Johannesburg-based healer who is originally from the Eastern Cape: “I’d say roughly 40 to 50% of my clients are not based in Gauteng.”

Several healers say this digital move has positively opened up new clientele further afield. 

 Madolo says that at Gogo Online they have been observing an interest in South African healers from places afar afield as Jamaica, the United Kingdom and Russia.

Not all clients feel comfortable with this shift, however. Gogo Mshunqisi is based in the small town of Bizana, in the Eastern Cape, and says that while she does offer digital sessions, particularly for those clients far away during the pandemic, few use it. 

She has adapted her practice in other ways, though: “The way I practise is that I teach my clients how to conduct their own cleansing ceremonies and prayer sessions so that they can cleanse themselves in their own homes.”

Mkhulu Mkhontokayise says that although his ancestors allowed him to offer telephonic consultations, this was difficult: “Some of the older citizens prefer the old way of healing where you just walk in the shrine. 

“Some of the services we can’t offer until we are moved to a different level which will allow certain rituals to take place .”

Lack of support 

This feeds into a greater sense that the government did not recognise healers’ roles in the pandemic and consult them early enough. 

Professor Nceba Gqaleni — who is part of the World Health Organisation’s expert advisory committee on Traditional Medicine for Covid-19 and the task team drafting South Africa’s policy on African traditional medicine for the department of health — says the notion of supporting traditional healers is usually paid lip service without any political will.

In terms of Covid-19, this relates to how healers were consulted in handling the pandemic and how their role as frontline workers was clarified.

It was felt in practical ways, such as when he had to buy his own personal protective equipment, says Makhosi Gwiji Gqoli.

“The government is trying its best, but it is not enough.”

Gogo Molahlegi says healers who had lost their income hoped for financial support or food. She says the government “restricted us even more than any other sector of essential workers. We are called essential workers but when we are supposed to practise, like now, we cannot”.

Many healers felt their traditional knowledge around healing illnesses was not taken into consideration seriously. 

“As herbalists, we need to be afforded the same opportunity as Western doctors to come up with cures for illnesses,” says Gogo Kamo. 

Researchers such as Gqaleni have been working with the government to fast track clinical trials and studies of plants such as artemisia annua (mhlonywane or lengana). 

He says, however, that there had been a lot of uncontrolled or unhelpful use of such remedies early on in the pandemic and that healers should have played a more central role. 

“Their voice and their space to advise communities on these things was not there.”

The National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA) connects victims of domestic violence directly with shelters. More than 200 calls from around the country have come in since the movement opened on 2   December. 

Social worker Unathi Ngxambuza says she gives people information and options, such as opening a criminal case, getting a protection order or going to a shelter. 

“It’s touching because when those callers are calling, they sound so emotional, they sound helpless, they sound betrayed by their partners,” she says. 

“They don’t know what to do. They need help. They don’t know the information. That’s why we’re here.”

More than one in four adult women in the country who have had partners have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence, according to the 2016 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey. 

A 2018 analysis by Statistics South Africa of previous Victims of Crime Survey data estimates that only 9% of households know about domestic violence shelters or other resources. 

The NSMSA, which was launched with support from the Ford Foundation, wants to collaborate with existing helplines such as the government’s Gender-Based Violence Command Centre. 

Advocate Bernadine Bachar, the team leader of the NSMSA helpline and an executive committee member of the movement, says their service fills a particular gap by focusing on how to go to places of shelter and related information. 

According to the national minimum standards on shelters for abused women, shelters represent a critical point of crisis intervention. 

“They serve as a ‘home’, a safe space when women and children are extremely vulnerable. They are, therefore, a crucial base of information on the extent to which the legal system is effective in protecting the enormous amount of women seeking such protection,” reads the department of social development’s document.

Bachar says they had expected a substantial increase in shelter occupancy during the beginning of the hard lockdown earlier this year, but this initially didn’t happen. This made the NSMSA realise that South Africans experiencing domestic or gender-based violence — as well as police officers — were often not aware of shelters or how to reach places of safety. Furthermore, the chain of referral was tedious or unclear, which led to delays in people getting help. 

“So it became obvious that this was a service that was needed, that it was one of the ways that we could make sure, from the start, from the ground, we could assist women and that there weren’t all these middlemen in between,” according to Bachar.

Because the NSMSA works closely with shelters and monitors their capacity, it can quickly place survivors and avoid mix-ups regarding which facilities take in different categories of victims such as pregnant women or teenage boys. 

Kim Pillay, the programme manager at New World Foundation that operates in Cape Town’s Lavender Hill and surrounding areas, which are subject to gang and other forms of violence, says that some of the survivors at their facility seem surprised by the swift response and support from the NSMSA. 

“The helpline is a lifeline, making a difference of life or death if the victim gets help in time and can make it into a shelter where the swift and expert response by the helpline social worker is key,” she says.

Even though the NSMSA is in its first month of operations, Pillay says the helpline has already meant that the foundation’s facility is often at capacity. 

Bachar says that of the 17 shelters in the Western Cape, only four currently have open beds and she puts this down to the NSMSA helpline.

“We noticed a definite uptick in women coming looking for shelters almost immediately after we launched. 

“It’s just basic information that women are now getting about what shelters are about,” she says, adding that they will soon need to expand their team of three social workers.

Mary’s story

Mary* is now in a shelter after leaving an abusive relationship of 11 years. She entered the shelter on the advice of her sister after her partner had told her to leave and her family members did not want her and her children to once again return to them. 

Mary, who was using drugs, says she had heard of such helplines

but had never used them because she was previously closed off to accepting help when she needed support. 

“I can speak from experience for those that are in that situation now. Phone for help, ask for help, because you’re never going to get out, your life is never going to change until you ask for help. 

“So, use the hotline, use whatever information you have, use it to the best of your ability,” she advises. 

* A pseudonym

Contact the NSMSA helplineby calling 0800 001 005, sending an email to infohelpine@womens­centre.co.za, or an SMS, WhatsApp or Please Call Me to 082 057 8600, 082 058 2215 or 072 230 7147