THANDO NGENO | Over One million sign petition as 21 November shutdown calls attention to femicide

It has been two and a half weeks since social media turned purple almost overnight, a symbol of the alarming statistics linked to gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa.

Users from across the world joined the country in solidarity as it grieves the thousands of voices that now live only in memory.

The hashtags #WomenShutdown and #NationalShutdown have trended for weeks, sparking conversations across every major platform.

Led by Women For Change South Africa, a leading advocacy organisation against GBV, the National Shutdown, scheduled for Friday, 21 November 2025, will take place just one day before the G20 Leaders’ Summit, scheduled for 22–23 November at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg.

The summit is expected to draw heads of state, international investors and global policy influencers to discuss economic growth, trade and sustainability.

Through this movement, Women For Change is urging people across the country to withdraw their power, stand together and demand an end to South Africa’s GBV epidemic.

According to activists, this isa bold national act of protest against the ongoing violence.

South Africa has seen countless marches, campaigns, and vigils in honour of victims and in calls for the safety of women across the country. Yet despite these efforts, femicide rates have risen by 33 percent, making South Africa’s figures six times the global average. The crisis continues daily: 15 women are killed and 117 rape cases are reported every single day.

This grim reality is a stark reminder that the country is facing a crisis that can no longer be ignored. Women For Change maintains that it cannot be business as usual and that G20 leaders cannot discuss growth and progress while one of the country’s most urgent emergencies remains unresolved.

In April 2025, the organisation marched to the Union Buildings and submitted a petition calling for GBV and femicide to be declared a national disaster. The National Disaster Management Centre rejected the petition, arguing that existing frameworks already address the issue.

Now, seven months later, this peaceful hutdown aims to send a clear message: the country’s economy cannot function without women, and their absence will be deeply felt.

Iconic landmarks such as the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg, along with radio stations, churches, and major companies, have pledged solidarity with the shutdown. This growing wave of support and the increasing public call for GBV to be recognised as a national disaster signal a shift in national consciousness.

One such company is Vistronix, an audiovisual firm operating in the corporate and education sectors. Founder Morné de Villiers has given all female employees the day off in solidarity with the shutdown.

De Villiers says it is disheartening to hear GBV statistics every day:

“We decided to do this because of how it has affected all of us. Hearing these stories has affected us deeply.”

He added that the company has no scheduled installations on the day and that male staff will also stand in solidarity with the women of South Africa. He hopes the shutdown will spur meaningful change:

“I don’t know how the issue will be resolved, but we cannot keep hearing these stories daily. Government has to make a plan, because this cannot continue.”

The Cushian Church of South Africa has also joined other faith-based organisations, not only to highlight the crisis but to take a firm stand against it. The church and its leaders have pledged to amplify the message to their congregants and communities across the country.

“We need to support this initiative as men and endeavour to protect our families against this evil practice. As the church, we distance ourselves from all forms of violence against women. We condemn it entirely, and we will not rest until it is eradicated.”

Meanwhile, the national petition initiated by Women For Change surpassed one million signatures this past Friday, a milestone campaigners say marks a pivotal moment in the country’s response to violence against women.

This movement has become far more than an act of solidarity; it is a desperate, urgent plea for the government to treat gender-based violence with the seriousness speed, and accountability it demands.