Across a dilapidated building, which is the Duncan Village Police Station, stands an immaculate white structure that was once probably a shipping container. However, instead of carting goods around the world, the container is now used for better purposes. The container, fitted with state-of-the-art facilities, has been used as Masimanyane’s Victims’ Support Centre for the last two years. The head counsellor, Ntomboxolo Ntengo, has been instrumental at resurrecting thousands of broken lives here. Hailing from Scenery Park with a family of her own, she knows that guiding the lives of others is an immense responsibility.

 

Ntomboxolo does not only provide counselling to clients but also legal advice and support. However, most of the cases she deals with are linked to domestic violence.

“Everything in Duncan Village is high; domestic violence, teenage pregnancy and rape. And it affects all ages from zero to seventy,” she said.“Everyday I have to listen to painful stories. Even the police don’t want to see [clients] when they are crying. They send them here.”

 

Most residents in the township are Xhosa and Ntomboxolo blames their cultural roots for domestic violence. “The amaXhosa man is the head of the house. Everybody must obey him and women must depend on him. But when a woman is independent, the man gets jealous.”

 

Though the mother of three finds the support centre useful on police premises, she thinks it can be more effective if it was closer to Duncan Village.

“This office is saving the people of Duncan Village but they have to travel far and by foot to get here.”

 

A slight smile forms when she thinks of how she had to travel to get counselling from Masimanyane.

“I was a client before I was trained as a counsellor. And now I’ve been counselling people for five years now. I’ve changed lives.”

Ntomboxolo is grateful, though, for having the police nearby as they have created a solid partnership. “They are co-operative and always willing to help. For instance, they accompany me when I do follow-up visits to rape survivors.”

 

Though many cases are on weekends, when she is unavailable, the police will refer the case to her on Monday morning.

“I visit survivors to make sure all the evidence is collected by police and also encourage clients to tell police everything.”

After her dealings with the police are done, she educates her clients on compulsory HIV testing.

 

Ntomboxolo has also taken her efforts beyond the support centre and into the classrooms, helping Masimanyane’s public educators when they visit schools.

“I like to assist in public education especially with teenagers. I know that if we educate them about gender-based violence our country will change.”

 

She feels that programmes such as Masimanyane’s Human Rights Club has uplifted learners.

“Those involved in our actvities are ambassadors of human rights in their communities. Those Lundis are very empowered,” she sniggered, referring to Masimanyane’s public educator Lundi Siwundla who facilitates the Human Rights Club. “When they know there’s a problem they refer their schoolmates to our offices.”

 

Ntomboxolo will continue to guide women out of desperate situations, changing worlds from the comfort of a humble looking shipping container.