HIGHVELD HOUSE

When a child must leave home by order of a Children's Court, the law creates an immediate logistical problem: where does that child go tonight? In a city like Witbank (eMalahleni) — an industrial city in Mpumalanga's Nkangala District, built on coal and marked by the social challenges that accompany extractive economies — the need for a reliable, always-open place of safety has been acute.

Highveld House was the answer, and it has been the answer continuously since June 1999.

Origins and Governance

The house itself was donated by Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation — an act of corporate social investment that has continued to shelter children for more than 25 years. Child Welfare Emalahleni (formerly the Witbank Child Welfare Society, which has been operating in Witbank for close to 70 years) created the sub-committee responsible for running Highveld House, ensuring it has professional governance and accountability structures behind its day-to-day work.

Who Highveld House Serves

Highveld House receives children when a Children's Court Order mandates removal from the family home — for whatever reason. This includes children from families experiencing domestic violence (where they have been exposed to or are victims of abuse), children who have been physically or sexually abused, children who are neglected or abandoned, and children from households where a parent is incapacitated. Children of all races from birth to 18 years are accommodated, with capacity for up to 12 children at a time.

The house has been fully occupied since opening — a continuous reality check on the scale of child vulnerability in the eMalahleni area.

The Six-Month Assessment Period

Children stay at Highveld House for up to six months. This is not simply a waiting period — it is a structured assessment and planning process. The Principal Social Worker, Felistas Mandiyanike, investigates the child's family circumstances, needs, and options, with a view to permanency planning: deciding on the most suitable long-term placement. The four outcomes are placement in a children's home, foster care, a school of industries (for older children with specific needs), or reunification with the biological family (where this can be done safely).

During this assessment period, every effort is made to ensure that the children's time at Highveld House is as normalising and enriching as possible.

Daily Life at Highveld House

Children at Highveld House attend local schools — maintaining educational continuity during a disruptive time. They are taken on outings, to church, and to youth activities. They complete life skills programmes designed to build practical independence and resilience. Handcraft skills training is provided. Bible instruction is available in English, Afrikaans, and Zulu — reflecting the diverse communities of the eMalahleni area. Dental and medical care are arranged as needed, and psychological therapy is available for children who require it.

Older children may be placed in part-time jobs in the community, enabling them to save money for their future — a particularly important provision for children approaching 18 who may have limited family support networks.

The Role of Volunteers

Because the children are not permitted to leave Highveld House without adult supervision, volunteers play a central and necessary role in the facility's operations: taking children on outings, providing Bible instruction, helping with homework and holiday projects, and spending time with children who do not receive family visitors. The "Friends of Highveld House" support group provides ongoing material support — toiletries, cash, groceries, and clothing — and time with the children.

Relevance for GBV Survivors

For GBV survivors in the eMalahleni area who are fleeing abuse with children, or whose children have been placed under a Court Order as a result of the domestic violence situation, Highveld House is the primary emergency referral destination for child placement in this area. Social workers, police, courts, and welfare organisations in Mpumalanga's Nkangala District use Highveld House as the first-line place of safety.

Highveld House: Witbank (eMalahleni), Mpumalanga. Centre Manager Mrs Sani Mthombeni: 013 658 6539 / 084 215 0612. Principal Social Worker Felistas Mandiyanike: 013 656 2471. Website: childwelfareemalahleni.org/highveld-house. Part of Child Welfare Emalahleni. Open since June 1999.