Students at Majuba TVET College’s Dundee Campus in KwaZulu-Natal now have access to a dedicated safe space where they can seek help for gender-based violence (GBV), mental health challenges and other psychosocial needs.
The initiative aims to help students access professional support in a safe, private and stigma-free environment, while connecting survivors of gender-based violence to the appropriate services.
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube officially launched the Comfort Room on Wednesday, 28 October 2026. The facility is the first of its kind in KwaZulu-Natal’s Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector.
Comfort Room Aims to Improve GBV Support for Students
The Comfort Room was established through a partnership between Higher Health, Majuba TVET College and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health.
The initiative seeks to address gaps in existing reporting and support systems, which can leave survivors having to navigate several institutions to receive assistance.
Dube-Ncube described the facility as an important connection between young people and the services available to protect them.
“This is a safe, private space on campus where a young person can pause, open up, learn, and be connected to the right help, without having to work out the whole system alone,” Dube-Ncube said.
The facility is intended to make it easier for students to seek assistance without fear of judgement or stigma.
KwaZulu-Natal Records High Numbers of Reported GBV Cases
The launch comes amid concerning levels of gender-based violence in KwaZulu-Natal.
According to figures cited by the Deputy Minister, 1,820 rapes were reported in the province between April and June 2026. This was the highest number recorded in any province during that period.
Police also recorded 124 women murdered in KwaZulu-Natal during the same quarter.
Dube-Ncube emphasised that these figures reflect only reported cases, with many survivors remaining silent because of fear, stigma and difficulties accessing support.
She also highlighted the challenges survivors face when they have to recount traumatic experiences repeatedly while moving between healthcare facilities, police stations, social workers and courts. This can lead to secondary victimisation and discourage survivors from pursuing their cases.
The Comfort Room aims to reduce these barriers by helping students connect with professional counselling, healthcare services, police assistance and psychosocial support.
Support Services Available Through the Comfort Room
The facility will offer a range of activities and support opportunities to help students deal with difficult experiences and access professional assistance.
These include:
- Survivor clubs: Spaces where students affected by GBV can find solidarity and connect with professional support.
- Transforming mentalities clubs: Programmes aimed particularly at encouraging young men to challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours.
- Peer support forums: Opportunities for young people living with HIV to access peer support.
- Mental health discussions: Safe spaces where students can discuss mental health challenges and seek guidance.
Higher Health Chief Executive Officer Professor Ramneek Ahluwalia and his team are working with the college and its partners to ensure that students can access assistance in a supportive environment.
Higher Health Programmes Reach Thousands of Students
Dube-Ncube said Higher Health's programmes have demonstrated that young people are more willing to seek help when they have safe opportunities to discuss their challenges.
Over the past four years, more than 394,000 students completed GBV self-risk assessments. Of these, more than 20,000 subsequently came forward to request assistance.
In addition, mental health programmes identified more than 188,000 young people who needed or were actively seeking psychosocial support.
The Deputy Minister said the Comfort Room forms part of broader government efforts to strengthen the country's response to gender-based violence, which was formally classified as a national disaster in November 2025.
“What begins in this room today must become part of how the whole country protects its young people,” she said.
College Management Urged to Ensure Students Can Access Help
Dube-Ncube called on college management and student leaders to make sure that students know about the Comfort Room and feel comfortable using it.
She also urged the college to ensure that the facility is adequately staffed, connected to local healthcare services, police and social workers, and supported by effective follow-up on referrals.
Addressing young men, the Deputy Minister stressed that the responsibility to end gender-based violence cannot rest with women alone, as men commit the overwhelming majority of such violence.
“The solution must also come from men,” she said.
She encouraged young men to challenge abusive behaviour among their peers and promote respect and consent.
Where Students Can Get Help for GBV and Mental Health Challenges
Students and members of the public who need assistance can contact the following support services:
- GBV Command Centre: Call 0800 428 428 or dial 1207867# from any cellphone.
- Higher Health 24-hour student helpline: Call 0800 36 36 36 or send an SMS to 43336.
- Childline: Call 116 free of charge.
- SAPS Crime Stop: Call 08600 10111.
- Police emergency services: Call 10111.
The Comfort Room at Majuba TVET College is intended to strengthen access to support for students affected by GBV, mental health challenges and other psychosocial difficulties, while encouraging young people to seek help in a safe and supportive environment.
