Bonang Matheba, Tyla and 5 More Mzansi Celebrities Join Fight Against Gender-Based Violence
- South African celebrities have joined the fight against gender-based violence and femicide
- Bonang Matheba and Tyla are among the stars who've made their social media profile pictures purple, officially declaring their support for the movement
- This comes ahead of the nationwide shutdown to raise awareness and declare Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) a national disaster
Source: Instagram
South African media maven Bonang Matheba and superstar Tyla have joined the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF)
Led by the Women For Change organisation, which previously fought against bringing Chris Brown to South Africa in 2024, the movement was organised in support of a planned nationwide shutdown taking place on Friday, 21 November 2025.
The movement encourages supporters, specifically women and members of the LGBTQI+ community across South Africa, to refrain from all paid and unpaid work in workplaces, universities, homes, and communities to "demonstrate the economic and social impact of their absence."
Across several social media platforms, including Instagram and Twitter (X), South Africans have made their profile pictures purple to raise awareness and make the shutdown visible online.
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Among the stars who've officially and unofficially declared their support for the movement are Lamiez Holworthy-Morule, Thandiswa Mazwai, reality TV star Jojo Robinson, Pabi Moloi, Lerato Kganyago, and Miss South Africa 2015 and 2019, Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni and Zozibini Tunzi.
Source: UGC
A petition has been issued with nearly 850,000 signatures from supporters and activists hoping to help bring a stop to the national crisis that is GBVF.
In their findings, Women For Change revealed that 5,578 women and 1,656 children were killed between April 2023 and March 2024, while 42,569 rape cases were reported, yet it is estimated that 95% of the cases go unreported.
"This crisis demands the immediate mobilisation of national resources and unwavering political commitment on an unprecedented scale to strengthen and transform the national response to the epidemic of violence against women and children."
Those willing to participate are encouraged to do the following in support of the movement:
- Don't work. No paid or unpaid labour
- Don't spend money and withdraw from the economy for one day
- Join the 15-Minute Standstill by lying down for 15 minutes at 12 pm to honour the 15 women murdered every day and bring South Africa to a complete standstill
- Wear black to stand in mourning and resistance
- Change your profile picture to purple to make the Shutdown visible online
- Share and make the shutdown impossible to ignore. Talk about it, share our posters using #WomenShutdow
With purple profile pictures flooding the timelines and spreading the message, it's moving to see female South African celebrities joining the fight.
South Africans respond to anti-GBVF movement
Social media users declared their support and urged others to join the movement.
22ttwwo said:
"If you don’t know, South Africa is very unsafe for women, and every other day there’s a femicide report. I don’t feel safe, my friends don’t feel safe, WOMEN don’t feel safe. Share if you can and speak up if you can. Thank you!"
jem_appple posted:
"If you’re a South African woman, join the general strike on the 21st!"
busie13 wrote:
"Those who are always saying, 'We’re not angry enough,' here is an opportunity to be angry at the injustice and act."
Thando_Kuz posted:
"Enough is enough. Too many women are dying, and still, nothing changes. It’s time for South Africa to declare Gender-Based Violence and Femicide a National Disaster."
themostphun added:
"Non-South African oomfs, you can join in and help out by making your profile picture purple, sharing, signing the petition, and spreading the word! Help us get as much visibility as possible."
Source: Instagram
While the support is overwhelmingly from women, the movement has faced significant negative reactions from some men. This backlash has manifested in online efforts to derail the conversation, with some men initiating "justice for men" or green profile picture counter-campaigns under the protest's hashtags.
Nevertheless, the women-led movement, driven by the reality of the GBVF epidemic, remains undeterred. The commitment from activists and celebrities to take action highlights a collective resolve that will not be silenced by resistance or distraction.
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