Women for Change has also distanced itself from any protest actions occurring before the 21st.
South African women and members of the LGBTQI+ community are preparing for a nationwide shutdown on Friday, 21 November, one day before the country hosts the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
The initiative, organised by the independent advocacy group Women for Change, has drawn significant public support, with more than one million petition signatures calling for gender-based violence and femicide to be declared a national disaster.
Movement clarifies independence from political parties
Women for Change issued a strong statement on Monday, distancing itself from the ANC Women’s League and emphasising its independence from all political organisations.
The group directly challenged claims allegedly made by the league regarding submissions on gender-based violence.
“We want to clarify once again: Women For Change is NOT affiliated with the ANC Women’s League [ANCWL]. In fact, during an official government meeting, in which the ANCWL was present, we directly asked to see the petition and memorandum they claimed to have submitted earlier this year regarding the declaration of GBVF as a National Disaster. We are still waiting,” the organisation stated.
The clarification, though not explicitly tied to his comments, came after ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula claimed on Sunday that “the ANC Women’s League made a call last year in November 2024 during our march to the Union Buildings for GBVF to be declared a National State of Disaster, and have followed due government processes, including a series of engagements with the highest political office of the land.”
Women for Change emphasised that its movement is “independent, survivor-centred, and driven by the voices of the people – not political parties.”
The ANCWL held a march to the Union Buildings on 29 November 2024 as part of the 16 Days of Activism against GBVF.
The purpose of the action was to deliver a memorandum of demands to the president, urging stronger measures to combat gender-based violence.
These demands included stricter conditions for granting bail to offenders, mandatory GBV-focused training for all law-enforcement officials, and increased funding to strengthen support services for survivors.
ALSO READ: ‘Government’s systems have failed us’: Women For Change vow to not stop
Silent lie-down to honour victims, not a protest march
Contrary to traditional protest action, Women for Change has clarified that the shutdown will take the form of a peaceful, silent demonstration rather than a march.
At noon on 21 November, participants dressed in black will lie down in silence for 15 minutes to honour the 15 women murdered every single day in South Africa.
“To clarify again: we will NOT be marching! On 21 November, the women and queer community will be withdrawing from the economy and gathering across the country for a 15-minute silent lie down at 12pm. This will happen in cities, towns, campuses, offices, and communities nationwide,” Women for Change announced.
The organisation has published meeting points across the country and provided participation guidelines, emphasising that the action must remain peaceful.
“This day is not political. It is a day for survivors to be seen and heard, and to honour the women and children who have been murdered. We will not be engaging with any politicians on Friday. We are done talking,” the group stated.
The Citizen has reached out to the ANCWL for comment. This article will be updated once a response is received.
Women for Change has also distanced itself from any protest actions occurring before the 21st, stating that “any protest action taking place before the 21st is NOT affiliated with us”.
Political support despite independence
While maintaining its non-partisan stance, Women for Change has received endorsements from various political figures.
Rise Mzansi National leader Songezo Zibi extended his full support for the initiative and called on employers nationwide to grant paid leave to participating women.
“South Africa is a violent country, but it is particularly violent to women. It is particularly violent to people of a different sexual orientation who are part of the LGBTIQ plus community. It is also important that we convey the truth in the manner that we should. South Africa is simply too violent for women. This constitutes a crisis. It constitutes a state of emergency. And we must respond to it as a country, as an emergency,” Zibi said.
He emphasised that the campaign should not be limited to women alone. “It must not only be women who are part of the campaign, but we men must also be part of the initiative because this is not a woman’s problem, it’s primarily a societal problem, but particularly a man’s problem. We must own up to it,” Zibi stated.
The Rise Mzansi leader specifically urged all employers to provide paid leave for the shutdown, stressing that women “must not take it from their personal leave. They must get paid leave from work so that they can go and participate in the shutdown.”
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Timing coincides with G20 Summit
The shutdown has been strategically scheduled for the day before South Africa hosts the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg.
Women for Change argues that discussions of economic growth and progress at the summit ring hollow while gender-based violence continues to devastate communities.
“Until South Africa stops burying a woman every 2.5 hours, the G20 cannot speak of growth and progress. We demand that gender-based violence and femicide be declared a national disaster. Not tomorrow. Not at another summit. Now,” the organisation declared.
A spokesperson for Women for Change reportedly told Rise Mzansi that the timing was deliberate, noting that the G20 summit is an opportunity to draw global attention to the crisis.
“This economic disruption, at this time when we’re trying to show our best foot, feels like such a beautiful moment to highlight this issue, and it is it’s tough because shutdowns can also be perceived as well as, ‘no, now you’re just wasting time’ and ‘why are you doing this to the country’ and ‘this isn’t gonna have an impact’. You can never equate the cost of an economy to the cost of lives. It’s just not even in the same conversation,” the spokesperson said.
Previous attempts to have gender-based violence declared a national crisis had failed, despite gathering more than one million signatures.
The National Disaster Management Centre officially rejected Women for Change’s petition on 5 November 2025.
Presidential response and engagement
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the shutdown on Friday, expressing his understanding of women’s anger and frustration. He acknowledged the severity of the gender-based violence crisis facing the country.
“I have full understanding, full empathy with the women of our country. And in fact, all of us should join the voices of our women in protesting against gender-based violence. And of course, they want to demonstrate their anger. They want to demonstrate their disapproval of the way we men are treating the women of South Africa. So I have full understanding,” Ramaphosa said.
The president referenced his previous statements on the issue, noting that he had “spoken a great deal of times against gender-based violence and calling on men of South Africa to treat the women of our country and the girls of our country with respect and with dignity as well. That rather than abuse women, we must be protecting the women of our country.”
Ramaphosa also drew parallels to the Covid-19 pandemic, stating: “I did say during Covid that gender-based violence is another pandemic because even during Covid, we saw gender-based violence rising to incredibly high levels. And it continues. Day after day, you hear of women being killed by men. This must come to an end.”
ANC Women’s League campaign
The ANC Women’s League announced its own campaign activities for November, with league representatives outlining plans that include men’s work led by President Ramaphosa in the Free State.
“Our campaign will begin with the national men’s work led by the ANC president, comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, in the Free State, symbolising the critical role men must play in ending violence against women, children and provincial workers. We’ll also follow, amplifying this message across the country. This is also a call for men in the media space to partner with us under the banner, I quote, it ends with us, close quote,” a league representative stated.
The league emphasised protection for vulnerable groups, particularly during Disability Awareness Month.
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