Women took to the street today with #TheTotalShutdown protest tag against gender-based violence towards women in South Africa, labeled an ‘intersectional women’s march‘ organized by Women Protest SA, with the rallying cry: “My body, not your crime scene“.
South Africa’s has a higher rate of femicide than the most countries, five times more than the global rate. According to a report by Africa Check, the global figure for femicide in 2015 was 2.4 per 100,000 women, while South Africa’s rate was four times higher at 9.6 per 100,000 women.
#TheTotalShutdown, a highly publicized protest, drawing in international support took place across eight South African provinces as well as in other African countries such as Botswana, Lesotho, and Namibia. Women Protest SA aims to hand a memorandum of 24 demands to the government, detailing steps for the government to take to deal with “gender-based violence” and make the country safe. About 800 women called for the dismantling of patriarchy as they marched to South Africa’s parliament, Supreme Court of Appeal and other provincial and regional structures.
The South African Union Council of Independent Churches (SAUCIC) president Archbishop Modiri Shole and Pastor Dwain Ponsoby from the United Outreach Ministries in Eldorado Park also marched, he said to Timeslive “We want to say that it is one thing for us as men of God to come and declare things in the atmosphere… but it is also the right of the women to seek the face of God. That is the only way that the enemy cannot touch you because you are a child of God.”
This document sets out our list of demands to the state. It’s an initial set of 24 demands that represent each year that the state has failed to ensure our right to be free from violence since the establishment of our constitutional democracy‚ – Women Protest SA said in a statement on Monday.
Women Protest SA also called for men to support the protest by not taking part in any economic activity throughout the day and taking over the domestic duties at home during the protest.
To support protesters, organizers provided bus pick-up points and time schedules as well as a breakdown of various locations across the nation that will serve as marching sites – from hospitals to city halls and parliament, CNN Africa Reports.
Very emotional moment of silence leads the marchers into song with their fists raised up. #TotalShutDown pic.twitter.com/R0jVp0qWrB
— Abigail Javier (@AbigailJavier_) August 1, 2018
#TheTotalShutdown Western Cape has reached Parliament. A moment of silence is about to be observed, followed by the reading of the Memorandum of Demands. pic.twitter.com/3cYG5VhgA5
— #TheTotalShutdown (@WomenProtestSA) August 1, 2018
“Respect our existence or expect our resistance” #Womandla ✊🏾 #TotalShutdown #IWillMarch #MyBodyNotYourCrimeScene pic.twitter.com/SunQWXWHhk
— #TheTotalShutdown (@WomenProtestSA) August 1, 2018
#TotalShutDown #DBN Acclaimed poet, storyteller and actress Gcina Mhlophe is also here for the KZN leg of the shutdown. ZN pic.twitter.com/neo9Gv8YnY
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) August 1, 2018
At the #TotalShutDown in Cape Town where women and gender non conforming activists are set to march to Parliament against gender-based violence at 11am pic.twitter.com/Vj5oHw2o4M
— raeesa pather (@raediology) August 1, 2018
My body, my choice! #TheTotalShutDown #TotalShutdown #IWillMarch Our bodies are not your crime scenes! pic.twitter.com/CBzwY0VnO8
— #TheTotalShutdown (@WomenProtestSA) August 1, 2018
Organiser Misa Makwakwa Masokameng explains why it is important for women to participate in the march.
“It’s important for women to be here because this is our moment,” she says.#TotalShutDown (@ChristinaPitt94) pic.twitter.com/9DUwinGOFb
— Team News24 (@TeamNews24) August 1, 2018
