A New Chapter: Safe House for LGBTIQ+ Refugee Reopens in Johannesburg

After several months of introspection and restructuring, The Fruit Basket’s Safe House in Johannesburg recently reopened its doors — reaffirming its role as a sanctuary for LGBTIQ+ refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.

Founded in 2016, The Fruit Basket has become a lifeline for queer individuals fleeing persecution and violence in other African countries, only to face new challenges in South Africa — from xenophobia to exclusion, homelessness, and systemic discrimination.

Its safe house is one of the few in the country that provides dedicated shelter and holistic care for this marginalised community.

Rebuilding from Within

According to Chief Operating Officer Gorata Nzimande, the temporary closure of the safe house earlier this year was a necessary step to rebuild the organisation’s internal systems and capacity.

“The community we serve carries immense trauma,” explains Nzimande. “As an organisation, we felt that we lacked the mental health resources and capacity to fully support those needs. Over time, we saw a build-up of internal challenges — from the lack of trauma-informed frameworks to the absence of strong staff wellness support.”

The safe house was closed from the end of April to early August 2025. During this period, The Fruit Basket focused on hiring new leadership, developing comprehensive policies, and creating a stronger referral and partnership model to share accountability for each resident’s care.

“We now have a Community Care and Well-being Manager, clear policies to safeguard everyone involved, and a stronger network of partners to ensure that residents receive holistic support,” says Nzimande.

A New Era of Holistic Care

That new Community Care and Well-being Manager is Itumeleng Lets’oala, a feminist communicator and traditional health practitioner with more than a decade of experience in South Africa’s civil society and media sectors. Recognised by the Mail & Guardian in 2024 as one of 200 Young South Africans shaping change, she brings an intersectional and trauma-informed approach to the role.

“My job includes coordinating holistic care services — from holding space for people in moments of crisis to providing sustained psychosocial support and working closely with partners to ensure that everyone arriving at the safe house is met with dignity, compassion, and care,” she explains.

The safe house can currently accommodate up to 16 residents at a time, each staying for about 90 days. During that period, residents are supported with pathways to documentation and asylum applications (through partners such as Lawyers for Human Rights and the Legal Resources Centre), access to healthcare services, and opportunities for volunteering, training, and skills development.

Facing Demand, Discrimination, and Hope

Since reopening, demand for places has far outstripped capacity. “We consistently face more need than we can meet,” says Lets’oala. “We prioritise the most urgent and vulnerable referrals — survivors of violence, individuals at immediate risk of homelessness, and those with pressing medical or legal emergencies.”

She notes that more LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers — especially transgender people from neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe — are arriving in South Africa as anti-queer sentiment spreads across the region. Yet, many face precarious legal status due to slow, uncaring and discriminatory government processes.

“Even though South Africa’s Constitution is progressive, we’re still seeing a worrying trend of exclusion by the Department of Home Affairs,” says Lets’oala. “People remain undocumented for far too long. In our recent work with legal partners, we’ve only seen one asylum approval — a transgender woman from Uganda who waited two years for official recognition.”

More Than Bread and Beds

Despite these barriers, the reopening of the safe house represents a renewed commitment to dignity and collective care. “Reopening is about more than bread and beds,” says Lets’oala. “It’s a recommitment to collective care and accountability.”

She adds: “Our residents are not passive beneficiaries; they are co-creators of the space. If anyone wants to support, there are practical ways — donate funds for shelter, food, transport or medical care, volunteer your skills, or help amplify our advocacy for humane asylum processes.”

In her vision for the future, Lets’oala hopes The Fruit Basket continues to be “a space that fosters radical joy and self-acceptance… a place that not only provides immediate relief but helps people rebuild lives with choice and dignity.”

For many, The Fruit Basket Safe House remains exactly that — a home, a community, and a reminder that belonging and safety are human rights, not privileges.