Manenburg resident Esse* is a thirty-year-old machinist and mother of two daughters. She has stayed at the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children before, and recently returned to stay in the new rehabilitation wing.
Esse is one of eight women residing in a newly-established section of the facility specifically for women coming out of substance addiction and abusive relationships.
She spoke to News24's Erin Bates from the room she shares with a fellow resident, and described the importance of sharing a space with others who understand what she is going through.
The facility has long provided support to women and children in need of shelter upon leaving a toxic home environment. Now, thanks to the new wing, they can better address the needs of clients who arrive and test positive for illegal substances.
"The centre noted that there was a marked increase in the number of clients who were presenting not only with gender based violence and fleeing their homes as a result of gender-based violence in their homes, but they were also coming with other challenges. One of that being substance abuse," says director of the centre, Shaheema McLeod.
McLeod spoke along with Western Cape MEC for Social Development, Albert Fritz, during the official launch of the wing on Thursday, 8 September 2016.
Watch for more on the new facility.
*Not her real name.
This story was originally published on September 8, 2016.
