South African Women Halt the Nation in Protest Against Gender-Based Violence

Johannesburg, 21 November 2025 – Thousands of South Africans joined a nationwide shutdown today, led by Women For Change (WFC), demanding urgent action against the country’s escalating gender-based violence and femicide crisis. The protest coincided with the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, drawing both national and international attention.

Participants were urged to stop all work and spending for the day and take part in a 15-minute silent lie-down at 12:00 PM, symbolizing the daily loss of women to violence. Demonstrations took place across Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, and Pretoria, with civil society groups and labor unions, including NUMSA, showing strong support.

“We are stopping the country to make it see what women endure every day,” said a WFC spokesperson. “This is a call for the state to recognize gender-based violence as a national disaster and act decisively.”

The shutdown’s key demands include: declaring gender-based violence a national disaster, stricter judicial accountability, full implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF (2025–2030), and public access to the Sex Offenders Register.

Historical sites such as Constitution Hill became hubs for large gatherings, drawing attention from media and civil society alike. The Nelson Mandela Foundation voiced support, highlighting the nationwide urgency of the issue.

While the protest has reignited public debate and shone a spotlight on the crisis, experts caution that lasting change will require government follow-through, proper funding, and accountability.