National Shelter Movement of South Africa

When a woman needs a shelter and doesn't know which one to call, or where the nearest one is, or whether there will be space — the answer is the same wherever she is in South Africa: 0800 001 005. That is the National Shelter Movement of South Africa's 24-hour toll-free Shelter Helpline, and it is the single most important thing to know about NSMSA.

The National Shelter Movement of South Africa was constituted in 2008 at a national conference of GBV shelters — the first time South Africa's shelter sector had convened as a collective, elected provincial representatives, and established a national mandate and structure for action. The Nisaa Institute for Women's Development was requested to serve as secretariat, and has done so since. NSMSA now counts 98 member shelters across all nine provinces as members, with nine provincial shelter representatives and four executive members.

Its vision is direct: to be the united voice on sheltering for women and children affected by gender-based violence in South Africa. Its mission is equally clear: to network, advocate, lobby, build capacity, and ensure that sheltering for abused women and children is adequately funded, consistently available, and continuously improving.

The National 24-Hour Shelter Helpline — 0800 001 005

This is the first and only national helpline in South Africa dedicated exclusively to helping victims of domestic abuse access shelter services across all nine provinces. It is toll-free (from landlines and Telkom mobile) and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It also assists with a range of other issues affecting survivors beyond shelter access alone.

How to reach the helpline: - Call: 0800 001 005 (toll-free, 24/7) - Vodacom / Cell C: Dial 112 - SMS / WhatsApp / Please Call Me: 082 057 8600 | 082 058 2215 | 072 230 7147 - Email: infohelpline@nationalsm.org.za

What NSMSA Does for Shelters and the Sector

Capacity Building and Training NSMSA provides member shelters with training, organisational development support, and guidance resources — including the Turning the Tide: Guidelines for Caring and Effective Shelters for Survivors of GBV handbook and the NISAA Shelter Model, both freely available on the website. These resources are used not only in South Africa but internationally.

Annual National Shelter Indabas NSMSA convenes an annual National Shelter Indaba — a formal gathering of member shelters, government, civil society, and donors to address the state of sheltering in South Africa, develop policy positions, and build strategic frameworks. The Fourth Indaba (October 2024), held in partnership with the Department of Social Development and the Heinrich Böll Foundation, focused on articulating a framework for progressive sheltering in South Africa.

Advocacy and Public Accountability NSMSA is an outspoken and determined advocate in the public domain — issuing media statements, open letters to the President, and press releases on systemic failures affecting shelters and survivors. It has publicly condemned SAPS' withdrawal of GBV cases, called for SAPS accountability in failing to protect women, deplored the Public Protector's findings of systemic GBV justice failures, and campaigned for adequate government funding for shelters.

NSMSA has also called on the private sector to take greater responsibility in addressing South Africa's GBV crisis — recognising that chronically underfunded government grants to shelters leave member organisations unable to fully meet demand. In 2025, NSMSA turned to the public to help keep the Shelter Helpline itself financially sustainable.

International Representation NSMSA represents South African shelters and survivors at international forums — including attendance at the 5th World Conference on Women's Shelters (5WCWS) in Sydney in September 2025 — building connections with the global sheltering movement and bringing international best practice back to South Africa.

Survivor Voice NSMSA amplifies the voices of survivors and shelter workers in national media — most recently (June 2025) through sharing Ayanda Mkhize's story (pseudonym) of escaping abuse as a young mother, as part of Youth Month advocacy. The organisation is led with clear moral conviction by National Coordinator Anisa Moosa and draws on the deep expertise of the Nisaa Institute, led by Dr Zubeda Dangor.

NSMSA — National Shelter Movement of South Africa. 24-hr Shelter Helpline: 0800 001 005 (toll-free) | WhatsApp/PCM: 082 057 8600. Email: infohelpline@nationalsm.org.za. Website: nsmsa.org.za. Facebook: NationalShelterMovementSA.