Siv Ngesi might be a comedian, but he took a very serious tone this week when he, along with many other citizens, reacted strongly to the horrific news that missing UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana was raped and killed at a local post office.
Her disappearance and subsequent murder have shed the spotlight on the scourge of femicide and gender-based-violence in South Africa and it feels as if enough is well and truly enough. Women are sick and tired of living in fear and if a woman cannot do something as basic as pick up a parcel from the post office without being killed, then what can she do in this country? Nene's death has broken hearts and angered the masses across Mzansi and there's a growing sense that action needs to be taken.
One celebrity who has made it clear that they are taking a bold stand against the national femicide crisis is Siv Ngesi, who took to Twitter to request a national shut down. Out of sheer anger and desperation, the presenter took to social media to write:
"All men/womxn , should down tools for a day and shut this country down! The war against our women and children is at a place that we should all be disgusted!Let’s all take it to the streets and everyone take a stand! Or will you wait until it’s someone you know or care about!"
He used the opportunity to spark a hashtag #ShutDownSA which gained some traction online:
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Many celebrities have rallied in a similar fashion to Siv Ngesi. Newly crowned Miss SA Zozibini Tunzi slammed the violence and called for change in an impassioned tweet:
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Boity didn't mince her words either, claiming that men were "at war" against the women of South Africa:
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Meanwhile, Cassper Nyovest has noticed yet another case of a missing girl in South Africa and has responded angrily to the news on his timeline.
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Do you think that shutting down South Africa is the answer to the current femicide crisis?
