Today’s Historic Action
South Africa is observing the G20 Women’s Shutdown, the largest coordinated protest against gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide (GBVF) in the country’s history. Organised by Women for Change, citizens are urged to:
- Stay away from work and school
- Boycott all spending
- Wear black
- Lie down in silence for 15 minutes at 12:00 SAST (1 minute for each woman killed daily)
- Turn social media purple (#WomenShutdown #PurpleForSA)
The campaign’s petition to declare GBVF a national disaster has exceeded 1 million signatures.
Key 2025 Statistics
- A woman is murdered every 2.5 hours
- ~15 women killed daily
- 1,000+ rapes and 137 femicides recorded in Q1 2025 alone
- 36% of women have experienced physical/sexual violence in their lifetime (HSRC study)
Government Response (Today)
President Cyril Ramaphosa declared GBVF a “national crisis” at the G20 Social Summit in Ekurhuleni – the strongest official acknowledgment to date. However, it stopped short of “national disaster” status, which activists say is needed for emergency funding and coordination. The ANC Women’s League and civil society welcomed the declaration but demand immediate budget increases and faster prosecutions.
Actions Across the Country
- Johannesburg: Marches at Constitutional Hill & Soweto gatherings
- Cape Town & Pietermaritzburg: Silent protests outside city halls
- Campuses (NMU, NWU, etc.): Student-led rallies
- Trade unions (COSATU, NUMSA): Full support and participation
High-profile voices including Springboks captain Siya Kolisi and Miss SA 2025 are amplifying the call.
Bottom Line
21 November 2025 is a turning point: South Africa has both declared GBVF a national crisis and seen its biggest-ever citizen shutdown. The country is mourning, protesting, and demanding real change – all eyes are now on whether words become urgent action.
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