Today, 21 November 2025, Gagasi FM’s female presenters stand in complete solidarity with women across South Africa as they participate in the national #WomenShutdown, a movement led by Women for Change to intensify awareness, activism, and collective resistance against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
In an act of unity and protest, Gagasi FM’s women are observing the call to withdraw their labour, pause economic participation, and stand still, both physically and symbolically, in honour of the victims and survivors of systemic violence against women and children.
Women who are unable to fully participate in today’s shutdown have been encouraged to join a 15-minute lie-in, dedicated to the 15 women who are murdered daily in South Africa. This moment of stillness represents remembrance, grief, and an urgent plea for action.
South Africans are further urged to wear black attire throughout the day — a powerful symbol of mourning, defiance, and resistance against the ongoing suffering inflicted by gender-based violence.
A National Crisis That Demands Urgent Action
Women for Change continues to highlight the severity of South Africa’s GBV epidemic, calling for immediate and decisive intervention at all levels of society. The devastating statistics illustrate the gravity of the crisis:
- 15 women are killed every single day, most often by intimate partners.
- 33.1% of women over 18 have experienced physical violence in their lifetime.
- Nearly 10% of women report having experienced sexual violence, according to research from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
These numbers represent more than data — they are a reflection of lived experiences, broken families, and communities in anguish. GBV is not only a societal challenge; it is a national emergency that requires amplified awareness, sustained activism, and policy transformation.
Gagasi FM’s Commitment
As The Sound of KZN, Gagasi FM remains committed to using its platform to elevate conversations around safety, justice, equality, and protection for all. Through on-air engagement, digital advocacy, and collaboration with civil society, the station continues to champion efforts aimed at dismantling cycles of violence and empowering survivors with visibility and support.
Today’s #GFMPurpleShutdown message stands firmly in support of:
- Women
- Children
- LGBTQI+ individuals
- Survivors and families
- Movements calling for national accountability and response
Gagasi FM urges all South Africans to join the movement by:
- Wearing black
- Honouring the 15-minute lie-in
- Amplifying awareness online
- Creating safe, respectful, and inclusive spaces in homes, workplaces, communities, and public environments
Together, we can challenge the silence, confront the truth, and demand meaningful change.
