South Africa Will Stand in Purple on Friday, 21 November 2025
On this day, women and members of the LGBTQI+ community across South Africa will collectively shut down their labour, withdraw their spending, and bring the economy and public life to a standstill in protest against gender-based violence and femicide.
The call is clear: when women stop, the country stops.
Why This Matters
In the very country hosting the upcoming 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg, a woman is murdered every 2.5 hours. While the world gathers to discuss growth and progress, the number of women silenced by violence continues to rise.
The Women’s Shutdown demands that gender-based violence and femicide be declared a national disaster — not at a future summit, but now. It is a call for justice, protection, and accountability that can no longer wait.
How to Participate
On 21 November:
- Do no paid or unpaid work — at workplaces, in schools, in homes, or at universities.
- Do not spend money — withdrawing economic participation is part of the protest.
- At 12:00 pm, lie down for 15 minutes to honour the 15 women murdered every day in South Africa.
- Wear black to symbolise mourning and resistance.
- Change your profile picture to purple and use the campaign hashtag #WomenShutdown.
RISE fm’s Show of Solidarity
At RISE fm, silence is not an option. As part of our support for the Women’s Shutdown, the station will replace its signature red with purple (#624AAD) — the colour of mourning, resistance, and unity.
While others remain in the comfort of familiar branding, RISE fm steps out. For one week leading up to the Shutdown, this purple will take over our platforms, our logo, and our voice — a visual declaration that some causes demand colour, and others demand courage.
We also challenge every business, organisation, and brand across Mpumalanga and beyond:
Will you #RISEtoTheColourChallenge?
Will you set aside your colours to stand with women?
The Call to Action
On Friday, 21 November 2025, South Africa will turn purple. Not in celebration, but in defiance. Not because the world is watching, but because our sisters, daughters, friends, and colleagues cannot wait any longer.
Together, with RISE fm and Women For Change, let us make sure the message is unmistakable: without women, South Africa stops.
Hashtag stack:
#WomenShutdown
#RISEtoTheColourChallenge
#RISEfm943
#myRISEfm
#MpumalangaAzishe
