Nelson Mandela Bay women stage nationwide GBV protest, saying ‘enough is enough’
On the eve of the G20 Summit, South African women, including those in Nelson Mandela Bay, staged a nationwide shutdown, demanding that gender-based violence (GBV) be treated with the urgency of a national disaster.
On Friday, women in South Africa took a stand against gender-based violence. Pictured is a protester at Shark Rock Pier, Gqeberha. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)
At noon on Friday, women across Nelson Mandela Bay joined a 15-minute “silent lie-down” — one minute for each woman murdered on average every day in South Africa – as part of a nationwide shutdown.
A silent protester at Hobie Beach in Gqeberha during the national Women's Shutdown protest against gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) Women in Gqeberha are demanding that gender-based violence be recognised as a national crisis. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) Women from across the Bay took a stand against gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) On Friday, protesters from across the Nelson Mandela Bay metro staged protests against the scourge of gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)
The government has now officially declared gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) a national disaster, but key accountability structures, like the National Council on GBVF, are still not operational.
Every voice counts — Nelson Mandela Bay residents protest for an end to gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) Strong, defiant, unbroken — the women of Gqeberha say enough is enough. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) Protesters in Nelson Mandela Bay made their voices heard during Friday’s rally. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) Protesters in Nelson Mandela Bay made their voices heard during Friday’s rally. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) There were emotional scenes in Nelson Mandela Bay as hundreds of women gathered to protest against gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) Lying down in silence, rising in solidarity — the women of Gqeberha are demanding an end to violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) A protester makes her message clear with the words ‘Hands off’ written on her face. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) An activist during the protest in Gqeberha on Friday. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)
The shutdown reflects growing frustration as women continue to face systemic delays in justice, insufficient protection and slow roll-out of prevention programmes — even as petitions calling for urgent action gather millions of signatures. DM
On Friday, women in South Africa took a stand against gender-based violence. Pictured is a protester at Shark Rock Pier, Gqeberha. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) 
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_2955copy2_998566_673573308a83e49950105c52999997db.jpg "A silent protester at Hobie Beach in Gqeberha during the national Women's Shutdown protest against gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_2937-copy_171356_5ac89cbf36c535937c2a761654f6411c.jpg "Women in Gqeberha are demanding that gender-based violence be recognised as a national crisis. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_3047-copy_276449.jpg "Women from across the Bay took a stand against gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_2009-copy_865840_d6d0be57642a114fc7d1424a39803361.jpg "On Friday, protesters from across the Nelson Mandela Bay metro staged protests against the scourge of gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_1944copy2_700144_49ec417ca1feaf494abbfa7e1874b09f.jpg "Every voice counts — Nelson Mandela Bay residents protest for an end to gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_2969copy2_286013_2a8eccf0403660920ab6052e247d996c.jpg "Strong, defiant, unbroken — the women of Gqeberha say enough is enough. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_1971copy_249330_4ee022fa1d898486913cf3ef1c31ff87.jpg "Protesters in Nelson Mandela Bay made their voices heard during Friday’s rally. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_3148copy2_724974_95337388d3b92f9d12eeeac1685c738c.jpg "Protesters in Nelson Mandela Bay made their voices heard during Friday’s rally. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_3055copy2_671242_b8cb6b30994a2ccdbc7a5c98edf8be79.jpg "There were emotional scenes in Nelson Mandela Bay as hundreds of women gathered to protest against gender-based violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_2014copy2_157747_c4cb77835ca5c033e48fd7efce316335.jpg "Lying down in silence, rising in solidarity — the women of Gqeberha are demanding an end to violence. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_1959copy_176456_96ee235c437327175b169a0cef72a389.jpg "A protester makes her message clear with the words ‘Hands off’ written on her face. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
/file/attachments/2984/DSC_1978copy_856548_0a812879c4651a9e0726eb23b2543940.jpg "An activist during the protest in Gqeberha on Friday. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")