“It Represents Something Bigger”: SPAR Calls on SA To Stand Against GBV With Simple Gesture

• SPAR renewed its call for South Africans to wear black every Friday in October in solidarity with GBV survivors
• The campaign targets four remaining Fridays and is building momentum towards the 16 Days of Activism beginning 25 November
• SPAR supports survivors through partnerships with LifeLine and the National Prosecuting Authority's Thuthuzela Care Centres

SPAR is urging South Africans to make their solidarity visible this October. The retail group has renewed its call for people across the country to wear black every Friday in October as a stand against gender-based violence.

The campaign kicked off on 2 October, with four Fridays still remaining: 9, 16, 23 and 30 October. SPAR is encouraging employees, retailers, customers, partners and communities to participate, whether they joined on the first Friday or are coming on board for the first time.

Mpudi Maubane, Group Head: PR, Communications and Sponsorships at The SPAR Group, said the gesture carries weight beyond what people put on in the morning. "Every person deserves to feel safe and respected. As the South African governement indicated, too many women continue to experience violence, and too many families and communities continue to live with its devastating consequences," Maubane said. "By wearing black every Friday in October, we are asking South Africans to make their solidarity visible. It is a simple gesture, but when we participate collectively, it sends a powerful message that gender-based violence cannot become something we simply accept as part of everyday life."

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SPAR starts anti-GBV work on the ground

The campaign is part of SPAR's broader EndGBV initiative, which focuses on prevention, survivor support and improving access to critical services. Through a partnership with LifeLine, the group funds confidential counselling services for those affected by violence. SPAR has also worked alongside the National Prosecuting Authority to supply Thuthuzela Care Centres with care packs, toiletries and food for survivors at their most vulnerable.

Through its Build it division, SPAR is supporting the development of a new Thuthuzela Care Centre in Jozini, KwaZulu-Natal. The centre will offer survivors a safe environment where they can access medical, psychosocial and legal services. SPAR also backs education programmes that engage young people on gender equality and recognising abuse.

SPAR is specifically calling on men to participate, reinforcing that ending GBV is a collective responsibility. The October mobilisation serves as a lead-up to the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, which begins on 25 November. Maubane added:

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"Wearing black is a symbol, but what it represents is much bigger. It is a commitment to remember those we have lost, stand with survivors and refuse to be silent about gender-based violence."

Other Briefly News stories about GBV

• Roland Archery, a KwaZulu-Natal school teacher, turned his classroom into an educational platform by leading his learners in a heartfelt rendition of "Yiyo Lengozi", a song calling on men to stop violence against women.
• The March and March movement staged nationwide demonstrations across multiple provinces, urging men to take a proactive leadership role in ending violence against women and children.
• A viral TikTok video captured a large group of men mobilising in Tembisa and Kempton Park to march against gender-based violence and femicide.

Source: Briefly News