KWATHEMA, Gauteng — The Afrika Mayibuye Youth Movement (AMM) has announced a comprehensive Ekurhuleni shutdown scheduled for Friday, October 3, 2026, in direct response to the escalating crisis of gender-based violence and femicide in the region. The mobilization aims to bring the city to a standstill until authorities address the systemic failures that continue to leave women vulnerable.
The urgent call to action follows the harrowing discovery of nine women’s bodies across the Ekurhuleni metropolitan region since July 2026. The remains were found in various areas, including Kempton Park and Kwa-Thema, leaving residents shaken and demanding immediate answers and greater protection from local law enforcement.
During a media briefing in KwaThema, a spokesperson for the Afrika Mayibuye Youth Movement outlined the strict parameters of the upcoming protest.
“On the 3rd of October 2026, the people will shut down the city of Ekurhuleni,” the spokesperson stated. “On that day, no business must open, no industry must operate, no firm must operate, and no shopping complex must open. All roads must come to a standstill because a city in which women are being killed cannot continue as though everything is normal.”
Echoing the movement’s stance, local residents expressed deep exhaustion over living in constant fear, rallying behind the call for a total shutdown to demand an end to gender-based violence.
The movement’s spokesperson further called on law enforcement agencies to present concrete, proposed solutions on how they intend to apprehend perpetrators who are currently walking freely in the streets. The briefing emphasized that the march on October 3 is a direct plea for immediate intervention.
“We have taken it upon ourselves to stand at the forefront, side by side with the women of South Africa, in the battle against gender-based violence and femicide,” the spokesperson emphasized. “We want to reiterate and make it clear that the state must account, the perpetrators must be found, and the families must receive justice.”
Further logistical details regarding the execution of the planned October 3 shutdown will be released by the Afrika Mayibuye Youth Movement at a later stage.
