The Gender-Based Violence Command Centre (GBV CC) is South Africa’s national, government-led citizen support service, established by the Department of Social Development (DSD) to provide immediate psychosocial support, counselling, information, referrals and coordinated interventions to victims of genderbased violence (GBV) and related social challenges. Since commencing operations in November 2013, the

GBV Command Centre has become a critical component of South Africa’s response to gender-based violence and is aligned with Pillar 4 (Response, Care, Support and Healing) of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBVF).

Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the GBV Command Centre delivers an accessible, confidential and professional support service to people across South Africa. Staffed by qualified Social Workers and supported by specialised operational, quality assurance and technical teams, the Centre provides crisis counselling, emotional support, information, referrals and case coordination to individuals experiencing gender-based violence, abuse and other social welfare concerns.

At the heart of the GBV Command Centre is a commitment to citizen experience—ensuring that every person contacting the service is treated with empathy, dignity and professionalism during what is often one of the most difficult moments of their lives. By combining skilled social work practice with modern contact centre technology, the GBV Command Centre provides a seamless and responsive experience that improves access to essential support services while reducing barriers to assistance.

The Command Centre manages a broad range of incidents, including domestic violence, rape, child abuse and neglect, human trafficking, elder abuse, sexual harassment, bullying, family disputes, substance abuse, protection order enquiries and other social welfare matters. Through an integrated case management approach and collaboration with government departments, law enforcement agencies, healthcare facilities, shelters and non-governmental organisations, the Centre ensures that clients receive coordinated support appropriate to their individual circumstances.

The GBV Command Centre is accessible through multiple communication channels, including the national toll-free helpline (0800 428 428), the GBV website, USSD and SMS services, with additional digital channels such as WhatsApp and Video Chat planned to further improve accessibility and citizen engagement.

Beyond providing direct support, the GBV Command Centre generates valuable operational insights that assist Government in understanding service demand, identifying trends and strengthening national responses to gender-based violence. This data-driven approach supports continuous service improvement and contributes to more informed policy development and resource planning.

The GBV Command Centre has received national and international recognition for its innovative approach to technology-enabled social service delivery, earning multiple awards for technology innovation and citizen-focused service excellence. Today, it continues to demonstrate how customer experience principles can be successfully applied within the public sector to create meaningful citizen outcomes, ensuring that thousands of vulnerable South Africans receive timely access to care, support, hope and protection every year