Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Pride Shelter established?
The Pride Shelter was established to provide short-term accommodation to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals from the greater Cape Town area during crisis periods in their lives. It was and still is the only such shelter supporting LGBTI people in South Africa, and Africa as a whole.
How does the Pride Shelter define a crisis?
Our working definition of a crisis is as follows:
A crisis is an individual’s response to an unexpected, sudden and significant event or situation, which, if not appropriately resolved, is likely to cause them further physical or psychological harm or expose them to danger. The individual is made vulnerable by being overwhelmed by the situation and experiences distress at a time when they may need to make significant decisions. A crisis is not a chronic situation, although it may stem from such. Being homeless is not necessarily a crisis.
Isn’t homelessness a crisis?
No. Given the problems of homelessness and the overwhelming numbers of South Africans who are homeless, we believe it does not in itself represent a crisis.
However, individuals who are suddenly rendered homeless because, for example, they have been kicked out of home by their parents for coming out as gay or lesbian, or evicted from rented accommodation for being a LGBTI person, or because they have broken up with their partners and find themselves on the streets with no immediate support mechanisms, would be regarded as people in crisis according to our definition.
Who is eligible for admission to the shelter?
Any person aged 18 or older who is experiencing a genuine crisis is eligible for admission, with priority given to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI), subject to certain criteria. Read more here.
Who decides if an individual is allowed to stay at the shelter?
The Matron assesses individuals when they arrive and decides if they can stay at the shelter based on their needs and the shelter’s admission criteria. If the Matron is in any doubt about a certain individual, she refers the case to the Board of Management.
How long can I stay at the shelter?
You can stay at the shelter for one month. Upon being admitted to the shelter, you will initially be granted a stay of two weeks by the Matron. During this time, you must make an effort to help out with chores around the shelter, behave appropriately towards staff members and other residents, and show that you are undertaking activities to improve your personal situation, for example, by actively looking for work or going to counselling sessions.
If after two weeks the Matron is satisfied that you have been doing these things, she will grant you a further two weeks or so, taking your full stay to a month. However, if the Matron is not convinced that you have been pulling your weight in the ways mentioned, she will ask you to leave the shelter after two weeks.
What happens if I find a job while staying at the shelter? Would I have to leave immediately?
If you find work during your stay at the shelter, you can apply to extend the period of your stay for a maximum of one month in order to allow you to save sufficient funds to start renting accommodation elsewhere after you leave the shelter. A review of your behaviour at the shelter will be taken into account when reviewing your application.
During this additional month, which commences on your first day at work, you must pay a nominal daily fee, as determined by the Executive Committee of the Board of Management. If you cannot afford to pay this fee on a daily or weekly basis due to the fact that you may not have any money and will only receive your first salary/pay after your first month at work, you must pay the Pride Shelter Trust, in cash or by bank transfer, the total amount due on receipt of your salary/pay.
How can a resident be evicted from the shelter?
A resident can be evicted from the shelter by the Matron or a Board member after committing a serious breech, or persistent minor breeches, of the shelter’s Rules and Regulations. Read these here.
Can straight people stay at the Pride Shelter?
Straight (heterosexual) people experiencing a genuine crisis may stay at the shelter provided that they accept and abide by the shelter’s ethos of tolerance for age, gender, sexual, racial and religious diversity, and by the Rules and Regulations.
Is there an age limit to being a resident at the Pride Shelter?
There is no upper age limit. We accommodate individuals who are over the age of 18.
Is there separate accommodation for men and women at the shelter?
Yes, there are separate dorm rooms for men and women. However, bathroom facilities are shared.
I am a LGBTI asylum seeker / refugee in South Africa. Do you accommodate asylum seekers / refugees?
Yes, but legislation constrains us. Asylum seekers and refugees must be in possession of specific documents issued by the Department of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa. For asylum seekers, these are a Section 23 Permit or a Section 22 Permit. For refugees, this is a Section 24 Permit.
The Pride Shelter cannot accommodate individuals who do not have this documentation. We would be committing a criminal offence if we were to do so.
Asylum seekers
New asylum seekers must be in possession of a Section 23 Permit, which is a non-renewable “asylum transit permit” issued under the Immigration Act. The permit is valid for a period of 14 days only and authorizes the person to report to the nearest Refugee Reception Office in order to apply for asylum in terms of Section 21 of the Refugee Act.
Once an asylum seeker’s application for asylum has been deemed admissible by a Refugee Reception Office, the asylum seeker is issued with a Section 22 Permit. This permit is valid for a period of six months and allows the asylum seeker to stay in the Republic of South Africa temporarily pending a final decision on his/her application. The permit can be extended by a Refugee Reception Office for a further six months while the process of refugee status determination is in progress. The holder of Section 22 Permit has the right to work and study in South Africa and is protected against deportation to his/her country of origin.
Refugees
If an asylum seeker is granted asylum (written recognition of refugee status), he/she becomes a refugee and is generally issued with a Section 24 Permit. This permit allows a refugee to remain for a specified period of two years in South Africa. It is renewable upon expiration after a review process by a Refugee Status Determination Officer. The permit also allows a refugee to work and study in South Africa while it is valid.
For more detailed information on asylum/refugee permits in South Africa, please go to www.home-affairs.gov.za/index.php/refugee-status-asylum
What does a typical weekday for a resident at the Pride Shelter look like?
All residents are required to get up by 6.30am in the morning. After a 7am breakfast, which is provided, they must assist the matron with chores around the house. They are then required to go out either to look for work, attend counselling sessions or hospital appointments, or undertake other such activities that will help them to improve their personal situations. They have dinner at the shelter at 6pm, help with more chores and then have the option of watching TV in the residents’ lounge or going to bed.
Are individuals referred to the shelter?
Yes, individuals are referred to the shelter from various sources, including refugee centres, local health organisations and the police. Word of mouth also drives many people to the shelter.
Does the Pride Shelter provide support services to residents? What does the shelter have to offer for residents with medical conditions or disabilities (HIV/AIDS, mental health, physical health conditions)?
The Pride Shelter primarily provides short-term accommodation and meals (breakfast and dinner) to its residents. It does not have the capacity to provide other services.
However, Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the shelter from 6-7pm every Wednesday, even at Christmas; and if you require counselling, a clinical social worker is available to come to the shelter on Sundays for an hour.
We also have relationships with and refer residents to the following organisations. This list is not comprehensive.
Can I stay at the Pride Shelter while I am on holiday in or in the process of relocating to Cape Town?
No. The Pride Shelter exists to provide short-term accommodation to LGBTI individuals experiencing a crisis. The shelter is not a hostel or hotel and should not be used as such. If you are found to be abusing the shelter in this way, you will be evicted from the premises immediately.
What is your drug and alcohol policy?
We have a zero tolerance policy towards drugs and alcohol. No drugs. No alcohol. If you are found with drugs and/or alcohol on the premises, you will be evicted immediately, and we may report you to the police.
Why should I donate to the Pride Shelter?
The Pride Shelter is the only shelter in South Africa, and Africa as a whole, providing support and accommodation for LGBTI people at times of crisis. This makes it a unique and a much-needed establishment.
On a continent where LGBTI rights are under severe attack and homosexuality is illegal in many counties, the existence of the Pride Shelter represents how far South Africa has come in its recognition of LGBTI issues.
However, while South Africa has a progressive Constitution protecting LGBTI rights and many positive strides have been taken, societal acceptance of LGBTI people is still patchy and as a result many still face major issues living their lives openly in many places. It is therefore important that the Pride Shelter continues to provide a haven for LGBTI people in crisis where they can feel safe and start the process of recovery.
The Pride Shelter also does not receive any funding from the City of Cape Town or the national government. We therefore rely on monetary donations from individuals to help us continue our work supporting LGBTI people in crisis.
If you would like to donate money to the Pride Shelter, please click here. Any amount would be very much appreciated.
If you have any other questions that are not covered above, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The Pride Shelter was established to provide short-term accommodation to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals from the greater Cape Town area during crisis periods in their lives. It was and still is the only such shelter supporting LGBTI people in South Africa, and Africa as a whole.
How does the Pride Shelter define a crisis?
Our working definition of a crisis is as follows:
A crisis is an individual’s response to an unexpected, sudden and significant event or situation, which, if not appropriately resolved, is likely to cause them further physical or psychological harm or expose them to danger. The individual is made vulnerable by being overwhelmed by the situation and experiences distress at a time when they may need to make significant decisions. A crisis is not a chronic situation, although it may stem from such. Being homeless is not necessarily a crisis.
Isn’t homelessness a crisis?
No. Given the problems of homelessness and the overwhelming numbers of South Africans who are homeless, we believe it does not in itself represent a crisis.
However, individuals who are suddenly rendered homeless because, for example, they have been kicked out of home by their parents for coming out as gay or lesbian, or evicted from rented accommodation for being a LGBTI person, or because they have broken up with their partners and find themselves on the streets with no immediate support mechanisms, would be regarded as people in crisis according to our definition.
Who is eligible for admission to the shelter?
Any person aged 18 or older who is experiencing a genuine crisis is eligible for admission, with priority given to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI), subject to certain criteria. Read more here.
Who decides if an individual is allowed to stay at the shelter?
The Matron assesses individuals when they arrive and decides if they can stay at the shelter based on their needs and the shelter’s admission criteria. If the Matron is in any doubt about a certain individual, she refers the case to the Board of Management.
How long can I stay at the shelter?
You can stay at the shelter for one month. Upon being admitted to the shelter, you will initially be granted a stay of two weeks by the Matron. During this time, you must make an effort to help out with chores around the shelter, behave appropriately towards staff members and other residents, and show that you are undertaking activities to improve your personal situation, for example, by actively looking for work or going to counselling sessions.
If after two weeks the Matron is satisfied that you have been doing these things, she will grant you a further two weeks or so, taking your full stay to a month. However, if the Matron is not convinced that you have been pulling your weight in the ways mentioned, she will ask you to leave the shelter after two weeks.
What happens if I find a job while staying at the shelter? Would I have to leave immediately?
If you find work during your stay at the shelter, you can apply to extend the period of your stay for a maximum of one month in order to allow you to save sufficient funds to start renting accommodation elsewhere after you leave the shelter. A review of your behaviour at the shelter will be taken into account when reviewing your application.
During this additional month, which commences on your first day at work, you must pay a nominal daily fee, as determined by the Executive Committee of the Board of Management. If you cannot afford to pay this fee on a daily or weekly basis due to the fact that you may not have any money and will only receive your first salary/pay after your first month at work, you must pay the Pride Shelter Trust, in cash or by bank transfer, the total amount due on receipt of your salary/pay.
How can a resident be evicted from the shelter?
A resident can be evicted from the shelter by the Matron or a Board member after committing a serious breech, or persistent minor breeches, of the shelter’s Rules and Regulations. Read these here.
Can straight people stay at the Pride Shelter?
Straight (heterosexual) people experiencing a genuine crisis may stay at the shelter provided that they accept and abide by the shelter’s ethos of tolerance for age, gender, sexual, racial and religious diversity, and by the Rules and Regulations.
Is there an age limit to being a resident at the Pride Shelter?
There is no upper age limit. We accommodate individuals who are over the age of 18.
Is there separate accommodation for men and women at the shelter?
Yes, there are separate dorm rooms for men and women. However, bathroom facilities are shared.
I am a LGBTI asylum seeker / refugee in South Africa. Do you accommodate asylum seekers / refugees?
Yes, but legislation constrains us. Asylum seekers and refugees must be in possession of specific documents issued by the Department of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa. For asylum seekers, these are a Section 23 Permit or a Section 22 Permit. For refugees, this is a Section 24 Permit.
The Pride Shelter cannot accommodate individuals who do not have this documentation. We would be committing a criminal offence if we were to do so.
Asylum seekers
New asylum seekers must be in possession of a Section 23 Permit, which is a non-renewable “asylum transit permit” issued under the Immigration Act. The permit is valid for a period of 14 days only and authorizes the person to report to the nearest Refugee Reception Office in order to apply for asylum in terms of Section 21 of the Refugee Act.
Once an asylum seeker’s application for asylum has been deemed admissible by a Refugee Reception Office, the asylum seeker is issued with a Section 22 Permit. This permit is valid for a period of six months and allows the asylum seeker to stay in the Republic of South Africa temporarily pending a final decision on his/her application. The permit can be extended by a Refugee Reception Office for a further six months while the process of refugee status determination is in progress. The holder of Section 22 Permit has the right to work and study in South Africa and is protected against deportation to his/her country of origin.
Refugees
If an asylum seeker is granted asylum (written recognition of refugee status), he/she becomes a refugee and is generally issued with a Section 24 Permit. This permit allows a refugee to remain for a specified period of two years in South Africa. It is renewable upon expiration after a review process by a Refugee Status Determination Officer. The permit also allows a refugee to work and study in South Africa while it is valid.
For more detailed information on asylum/refugee permits in South Africa, please go to www.home-affairs.gov.za/index.php/refugee-status-asylum
What does a typical weekday for a resident at the Pride Shelter look like?
All residents are required to get up by 6.30am in the morning. After a 7am breakfast, which is provided, they must assist the matron with chores around the house. They are then required to go out either to look for work, attend counselling sessions or hospital appointments, or undertake other such activities that will help them to improve their personal situations. They have dinner at the shelter at 6pm, help with more chores and then have the option of watching TV in the residents’ lounge or going to bed.
Are individuals referred to the shelter?
Yes, individuals are referred to the shelter from various sources, including refugee centres, local health organisations and the police. Word of mouth also drives many people to the shelter.
Does the Pride Shelter provide support services to residents? What does the shelter have to offer for residents with medical conditions or disabilities (HIV/AIDS, mental health, physical health conditions)?
The Pride Shelter primarily provides short-term accommodation and meals (breakfast and dinner) to its residents. It does not have the capacity to provide other services.
However, Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the shelter from 6-7pm every Wednesday, even at Christmas; and if you require counselling, a clinical social worker is available to come to the shelter on Sundays for an hour.
We also have relationships with and refer residents to the following organisations. This list is not comprehensive.
- Health4Men (sexual health services for men who have sex with men)
- Triangle Project (counselling for LGBTI people)
- SWEAT (advocacy and education for sex workers)
- Gender DynamiX (transgender issues)
- PASSOP (advocacy for asylum-seekers, refugees and immigrants in South Africa)
- Cape Mental Health (mental health services)
- New Somerset Hospital (medical treatment for people without Medical Aid)
Can I stay at the Pride Shelter while I am on holiday in or in the process of relocating to Cape Town?
No. The Pride Shelter exists to provide short-term accommodation to LGBTI individuals experiencing a crisis. The shelter is not a hostel or hotel and should not be used as such. If you are found to be abusing the shelter in this way, you will be evicted from the premises immediately.
What is your drug and alcohol policy?
We have a zero tolerance policy towards drugs and alcohol. No drugs. No alcohol. If you are found with drugs and/or alcohol on the premises, you will be evicted immediately, and we may report you to the police.
Why should I donate to the Pride Shelter?
The Pride Shelter is the only shelter in South Africa, and Africa as a whole, providing support and accommodation for LGBTI people at times of crisis. This makes it a unique and a much-needed establishment.
On a continent where LGBTI rights are under severe attack and homosexuality is illegal in many counties, the existence of the Pride Shelter represents how far South Africa has come in its recognition of LGBTI issues.
However, while South Africa has a progressive Constitution protecting LGBTI rights and many positive strides have been taken, societal acceptance of LGBTI people is still patchy and as a result many still face major issues living their lives openly in many places. It is therefore important that the Pride Shelter continues to provide a haven for LGBTI people in crisis where they can feel safe and start the process of recovery.
The Pride Shelter also does not receive any funding from the City of Cape Town or the national government. We therefore rely on monetary donations from individuals to help us continue our work supporting LGBTI people in crisis.
If you would like to donate money to the Pride Shelter, please click here. Any amount would be very much appreciated.
If you have any other questions that are not covered above, please do not hesitate to contact us.
