Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

11 November 2025

2-minute read

In an effort to spotlight the scourge of gender-based violence, the Women for Change organization has called for a nationwide shutdown against femicide ahead of the G20 Summit taking place in Johannesburg later this month.

Spokesperson Cameron Kasambala says that on November 21^st, the organization is calling for women to:

• Refrain from working on the day,
• Disengage with the economy and not spend any money,
• Wear black to symbolise mourning and resistance,
• Join the 15-Minute Standstill by lying down for 15 minutes at 12 pm to honour the 15 women murdered in South Africa every day, and
• Change their profile picture to purple to make the Shutdown visible online.

With “international eyes on South Africa” during the gathering of the most powerful world leaders at the G20 Summit, Women for Change feels that this is the ideal time to intentionally bring the country to a “standstill” and showcase the reality of what is happening on the ground. Cameron emphasizes that they need to get the government to acknowledge and respond to the national disaster that is gender-based violence. Despite “alleged attempts” to respond, she says that there has been zero action thus far from government.

Citing the phenomenal legislation within SA and comprehensive understanding of what needs to be done, Camerons states that this isn’t an issue of the government being incompetent, but rather that they are “turning a blind eye” by hiding behind legislation and refusing to acknowledge the problem; clearly ignoring the issue of femicide.

The organization hopes that the standstill will achieve awareness of the escalating rate of GBV within SA, reforming the judiciary with regards to GBV, provide refunding into the National Strategic Plan, and allow for transparency in audits around financing.

Listen to the full interview with Ml Ibrahim Daya, Ml Ahmad Waja and Cameron Kasambala.