15 locations, 15 minutes of silence: These are the official Women For Change meeting points

Women For Change’s national shutdown on 21 November calls for South Africans to unite in peaceful protest against the GBVF crisis.

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Women For Change remains steadfast in its planned national shutdown on 21 November despite recent concessions from the government. The protest,featuring a 15-minute “silent lie down” at multiple locations nationwide,aims to honour 15 daily victims of femicide in South Africa. With support across the country,organisers remind those participating to choose peaceful engagement while maintaining pressure on leadership for meaningful change.Following a high-stakes meeting with government officials,advocacy group Women For Change has announced both significant concessions and a reinforced commitment to its planned national shutdown set for Friday,21 November.

In response to a series of questions posed by News24,the non-profit organisation confirmed that its 13 November meeting with multiple government departments,interest groups,and political groups did take place,yielding several key outcomes.

According to Merlize Jogiat,operations and advocacy coordinator at Women For Change,the meeting included representatives from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta),the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC),and the Departments of Women,Defence,and Justice,as well as the ANC Women’s League.

“The meeting did take place,” Jogiat said,outlining the following key outcomes:

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Acknowledgement of receipt of our petition,which now exceeds one million signatures.Confirmation that the initial rejection of the petition will be reviewed internally.Agreement to schedule a further follow-up meeting,which is set to take place one day before the national shutdown.Commitment from departments present to reassess interdepartmental coordination efforts relating to GBVF response.

The meeting served as a direct platform for the group to challenge the state’s position,as the NDMC had previously argued that the Disaster Management Act is unsuitable for addressing the GBVF crisis,deeming it a “chronic,ongoing societal issue rather than an ‘unexpected incident’.”

READ | Why National Disaster Management Centre won’t declare GBVF a National Disaster,despite 1 million signatures

In response,Jogiat stated,“We challenged this position by noting that South Africa has previously declared non-environmental crises as disasters when they posed systemic threats,such as the electricity shortage and Covid-19,both of which required sustained emergency responses and extraordinary budget allocation.”

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News24 also posed the same questions to the NDMC and Cogta,who had not responded at the time of writing.

Jogiat reiterated the organisation’s unwavering stance.

Our stance remains that GBVF meets every constitutional threshold for a national disaster: it is severe,nationwide,impacts rights and safety,and requires extraordinary coordination and emergency resources.

The national shutdown forges on

Despite this progress in dialogue,Women For Change is moving forward with its planned national shutdown on Friday to maintain pressure on the government. The organisation has released specific guidelines for a peaceful,nationwide action via social media,outlining the rules of engagement for everyone who wishes to participate.

In a social media announcement,the group called for a “silent lie down” at midday,where “women,children,and members of the LGBTQI+ community will gather across the country for a silent 15-minute lie-down,dressed in black,to honour the 15 women murdered every day in South Africa.”

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A central event will be held in Cape Town,where the group stated,“On Friday,21 November,we will carry our Unburied Casket to Sea Point Promenade. At 12 pm,when women across South Africa lie down and bring the country to a 15-minute standstill,we will read the names of the women who never made it home and livestream it across all our platforms.”

Participants are encouraged to join one of 15 nationwide meeting points or create their own safe gatherings. The guidelines emphasise that the event is “peaceful,no violence,no confrontation.”

National Meeting Points for Women For Change’s 21 November Shutdown

Sea Point Promenade,Cape Town

Stellenbosch University,Rooiplein,Cape Town

Botanical Gardens,Randburg,Johannesburg

Constitutional Hill,Johannesburg

Aula Lawn,University of Pretoria

Union Buildings Lawn,Pretoria

North Beach,Durban

South Beach,Durban

Eastern Beach,East London

Summerstrand Beach,Gqeberha

Sol Plaatjie University,Kimberly

North West University,Potchefstroom

University of Limpopo Sports Ground

University of The Free State,Hoffman Square,Bloemfontein

Riverside Government Boulevard,Nelspruit

This planned shutdown casts a shadow over the upcoming high-level G20 meeting currently taking place as South Africa wraps up its year of presidency. Women For Chnage founder Sabrina Walter even spoke at one of the events surrounding the G20 Social Summit.

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Jogiat stressed that the protest is not an act of hostility but a demand for meaningful engagement,saying,“This shutdown is peaceful,coordinated,and rooted in grief,not disruption or hostility.”

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“Our expectation is that the state protects participants exercising constitutional rights,avoids militarised or punitive responses,and engages meaningfully with the demands rather than managing them as ‘logistical disruptions’.”