Civil society groups are expected to assemble in the early hours of Friday morning to peacefully march against sexual, gender-based violence and femicide.
Members of the public from Alexandra, Pretoria, Soweto, Carletonville, Tembisa, the Vaal as well as universities across the province will join the protest to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange stating that “it will not be business as usual”.
“It WILL NOT be business as usual in Sandton on Friday. We will NOT be silenced. We are done praying! We are done with dialogues! We are done with listening to messages condemning violence by men. It’s time for action!” Total Shutdown tweeted on Thursday afternoon.
The march follows a series of protests under the hashtag #AmINext following the tragic deaths of young women in South Africa, including Uyinene Mrwetyana, Leighandre Jegels, Meghan Cremer and Ayakha Jiyane and her three siblings – all acts of gender-based violence.
The JSE says that it will be “business as usual” tomorrow and there is no contingency plan in place ahead of the protest.
“No, not at all [business will continue]. It is a peaceful protest for something important and they want their voices to be heard,” spokesperson Pheliswa Mayekiso told News24 on Thursday.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Wayne Minnaar is expecting thousands of protesters to show up to the march.
Commuters are urged to avoid the following roads which will be blocked off from 03:00 to 14:00: Rivonia Road between Grayston Drive & 5th Street and Gwen Lane & Maude Street.