Many of the provinces carry names rooted in Indigenous languages such as Quechua, Mapuche, and Guaraní. Others have Spanish colonial or religious origins.

For example:

Even more interesting translations, such as “Very Pronounced Point Between Two Rivers” (Chaco) or “Prickly Plant Fruit” (Tucumán), come from Indigenous terms describing local landscapes, flora, or cultural practices.

The campaign , dubbed the G20 Women’s Shutdown, was organised by Women for Change, which also led a social media drive that saw thousands, including celebrities, change their profile pictures to purple, a colour associated with GBV awareness. An online petition supporting the cause garnered over one million signatures.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa said the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) classified GBV and femicide as a disaster after "a thorough reassessment of previous reports and updated submissions from organs of state as well as civil organisations."

This follows an earlier 2019 declaration by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who had termed GBV and femicide a national crisis.

“The declaration allows the government to strengthen support for current GBV response structures, implement contingency arrangements, and ensure all necessary mechanisms are activated to manage the disaster effectively,” Hlabisa said.

Despite previous efforts, Women for Change spokesperson Cameron Kasambala said implementation has often been lacking. “We’ve integrated violence into our culture and social norms,” she said. “Once the government truly reacts, we’ll begin to see tangible changes on the ground.”

The protest has inspired the "purple movement", with participants posting purple hearts, nail polish, and clothing online. Grammy-winning singer Tyla was among the high-profile supporters.

On 21 November, women in South Africa will be staging silent protests and intend to halt economic activity for 15 minutes because of what they say is government failure to tackle the issue and asking it to be declared a "national disaster".

Amid this backdrop of violence and what some describe as institutional failure, a growing number of women are choosing to arm themselves as a form of self-protection. One of the most visible expressions of this trend is Girls On Fire , a training initiative founded by Gun Owners South Africa (GOSA).

Since it started around 2015, thousands of women have gone through its firearm-introduction sessions. These trainings don’t just teach how to shoot, they emphasise legal knowledge, situational awareness, how to carry a weapon safely, and how to think deliberately about when and why to use it.

For many of these women, the decision to own or train with a gun comes from a painful place, the belief that the police are overstretched or slow to respond, and that attackers often strike when law enforcement is nowhere in sight.

As one instructor put it, “a firearm, coupled with the right mindset, is one way that a woman can protect herself effectively from someone bigger, stronger … or several such miscreants.”

While some see it as empowerment, others warn it’s a dangerous gamble. Crime- and gender-justice analysts point to the risks of firearms in households, especially in intimate partner scenarios.

Research shows that legal guns are frequently used in femicides, lethal killings of women by their partners. There’s also data linking legal gun ownership to intimate femicide-suicide, where the perpetrator kills a partner and then themselves.

As more women apply for gun licenses, the risk associated with licensed firearms remains alarmingly high. A recent policy briefing found a correlation between increased gun licensing and a rise in gun-related femicides, noting that over the past several years, tens of thousands of legally owned firearms have entered civilian hands.

Despite existing policies and national strategies, the reality on the ground suggests that many women feel they cannot rely on the system for protection. The National Strategic Plan on GBV, for instance, includes pillars for prevention, justice, and survivor support, but the persistent violence and high femicide rates show how far there is to go.