IN PICS: Thousands of women across SA take a stand against GBV

Eyewitness News

21 November 2025 | 13:05

Thousands of women and a few men across South Africa heeded the call of NGO Women for Change to wear black and lie down in protest against gender-based violence and femicide in the country.

Hundreds of women gathered at the Union Building lawns in Pretoria on 21 November 2025 in protest against gender-based violence. Picture: Jacques Nelles/EWN

Thousands of women and a few men across South Africa heeded the call of NGO Women for Change to wear black and lie down in protest against gender-based violence and femicide in the country.

With demonstrations taking place across the country, some protesters gathered on the Union Building's lawn in Pretoria, Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, on the promenade in Sea Point, Cape Town and in Durban on Friday.

The government on Friday also officially classified gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) as a national disaster.

Hundreds of women gathered at the Union Building lawns in Pretoria on 21 November 2025 in protest against gender-based violence. Picture: Jacques Nelles/EWN

Thousands of women gathered on the promenade in Sea Point, Cape Town on 21 November 2025 to protest against against gender-based violence (GBV). Picture: Carlo Petersen/EWN

Women for Change demonstrators ahead of their planned national shutdown against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) on 21 November 2025 ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. Picture: Ntokozo Khumalo/EWN

Thousands of women gathered on the promenade in Sea Point, Cape Town on 21 November 2025 to protest against gender-based violence (GBV). Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN.

Thousands of women gathered at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg on 21 November 2025 in protest against gender-based violence. Picture: Sphamandla Dlamini//EWN.