The Gender-Based Violence Command Centre (GBVCC)

The Command Centre Helpline: 0800 428 428

The single most important function of gbv.org.za is to ensure that 0800 428 428 is known, accessible, and used. This number is: - Toll-free from any network in South Africa - Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year - Staffed by trained personnel who provide crisis counselling, safety planning guidance, and referrals to services in the caller's area

Alternative access: - *120*7867# — free USSD code, requires no airtime and no data; works on any South African mobile network - SMS 'help' to 31531 — for persons with disability - Video calling via gbv.org.za — exclusively for users who communicate in South African Sign Language

The Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP)

GBV.org.za sits within the VEP — a national initiative co-ordinated by the Department of Social Development and supported by the National Development Agency, SASSA, Vodacom, and traditional leadership structures. The programme's mandate is to accelerate the elimination of all forms of violence against women and children through prevention, survivor support, criminal justice accountability, and community education — implemented nationally through a network of service providers across all nine provinces.

Public Education

A significant portion of the portal is dedicated to helping people understand what abuse is — because many people in abusive situations do not identify what they are experiencing as abuse, and many abusers do not recognise their behaviour as such.

The portal provides clear explanations of physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, financial abuse, isolation, and emotional/psychological abuse. It also offers a self-assessment: Am I a victim of abuse? — helping readers identify patterns of control in their own relationships, including less-visible forms like threats of suicide and threats of deportation. A parallel section — Who are the abusers? — challenges stereotypes, emphasising that abusers are not easy to spot, that abuse is intentional (not accidental), and that women can also be abusers and men can be victims.

Bright Sky SA

Hosted on the portal and available as a standalone app, Bright Sky SA (supported by Vodacom) enables users to: complete a risk assessment questionnaire to evaluate whether a relationship is abusive; access educational content on forms of abuse and types of support; use geolocation to identify nearby support services (police stations, hospitals, NGOs); and explore case studies. It is a practical, discreet tool for anyone wanting to understand their situation or find local help without making a call.

Everyday Heroes

The Everyday Heroes series is six illustrated comic stories set in Bhekanani — a fictional, vibrant, multicultural South African community. The stories explore GBV situations through relatable characters, emphasising the power that ordinary community members have to support survivors and challenge the norms that allow abuse. The comics are freely available and designed as a public education resource for schools, community organisations, and GBV service providers.

Reporting a Case

The portal's Report Case section provides guidance on reporting GBV to SAPS and accessing VEP services — an important resource for survivors who do not know how the reporting process works or what their rights are within it.

Why This Portal Belongs on a Survivor Website

GBV.org.za is not a separate organisation — it is the government's national digital infrastructure for GBV response. For a survivor-facing website, it deserves prominent placement as the home of 0800 428 428 — the number any survivor in South Africa can call, at any hour, from any phone, at no cost, to access help. It is the foundation on which all other referrals rest.

GBV Command Centre: 0800 428 428 (toll-free, 24/7). USSD: *120*7867# (free). Website: gbv.org.za. Physical: 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria Central, 0001. Phone: 012 312 7500.