Pretoria - The Tshwane metro police department has advised motorists to use alternative roads on Wednesday as women and gender non-conforming people are expected to march across the Pretoria CBD.
The women are marching against violence meted on women and children. The #TotalShutDown march will take place across nine provinces.
In Gauteng, marchers will gather at the old Putco depot.
Marchers will move from the Putco depot down Struben Street. They will turn into Mandela Drive, then Madiba Street before reaching the front lawns of the Union Buildings where they will hand over a memorandum.
The organisers have urged employers to allow women time off work to take part.
''We are therefore requesting the support of all employers to support this movement by allowing women and gender non-conforming persons time away to participate in #TheTotalShutdown marches across the country without financial penalty," said the organisers.
"Furthermore, we humbly request that all essential workers who must be at work on this day be permitted to take a break from 13h00 to 13h30 in order to participate in a national moment in solidarity against gender-based violence.''
Political parties and institutions such as the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Gender Commission have thrown their weight behind the #TotalShutDown marches across the country.