Cape Town - The organisers of last week's #TotalShutdown march to the Union Buildings in Tshwane have had charges laid against them by the South African Police Services. According to the national convenors of the #TotalShutdown, they have been ordered to hand themselves over to police.
During the march, police and protesters clashed on the lawns at the Union Buildings when the women insisted that they wanted President Cyril Ramaphosa to accept their memorandum and address the group. One woman was injured - reportedly by police - during the clashes which saw officers fire teargas at the group.
The national convenors of the shutdown are seeking legal advice on the charges.
Thousands had marched across the Pretoria CBD as part of the countrywide #TotalShutdown, raising the alarm on violence against women, children and gender non-conforming people.
“We are tired of the rise of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. We are tired of the women’s struggles being trivialised and just hearing that enough is enough statement. We want action, and we have actions,” said one of the protest organisers, Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile told African News Agency during the march.