The Viva Foundation invites members of the media to attend and cover a powerful Women’s Day event on Friday, 9 August 2025, at Viva Connect in Cullinan — a visual protest staged in solidarity with victims of gender-based violence and femicide. The event is part of the #1000DeadBodies campaign — a symbolic demonstration honoring lives lost and demanding national accountability.
Femicide in South Africa – A Snapshot
- 7–14 women are murdered every day.
- Over 1,000 women are killed every three months.
- More than 5,000 women are murdered each year.
- 60% of victims are killed by intimate partners.
- Most killings involve firearms, alcohol, and occur in Gauteng, KZN, and the Eastern Cape.
About the Event
#1000DeadBodies is a symbolic visual activation held in one of South Africa’s most vulnerable communities, where gender-based violence is a daily, lived reality.
The event will feature:
- A visual installation of 1,000 body outlines, representing the women lost to GBV
- A drone-shot visual moment designed to capture the installation as a collective act of remembrance
- Guest speakers, including Ward Councillor JB Bekker and Viva Foundation CEO Meleney Kriel
- Live tributes and performances
- A petition signing calling for urgent systemic change
- A community lunch, bringing together survivors, advocates, and allies
This event is a memorial, a movement, and a call to action — spotlighting the unacceptable scale of femicide and rallying all South Africans toward meaningful change.
Who Should Attend & Why
- Media – Cover powerful visuals, conduct interviews, and help amplify the call
- Activists & civil society – Engage in grassroots action
- Corporate & influencers – Align your voice with a cause for justice
- Policy & leaders – Witness the lived realities that demand response
- Every South African – Who believes remembrance must lead to action
Why Cover This Event?
This is more than a protest — it’s a national symbol of urgency, unity, and justice. The #1000DeadBodies campaign gives voice to the silenced and creates space for both mourning and mobilization. Alongside the symbolic installation, the event includes a petition signing demanding action on South Africa’s femicide crisis, and offers space for community dialogue, healing, and solidarity. Media partners are key to building momentum, amplifying survivors’ voices, and placing pressure on decision-makers to act.
“We live and work in communities where femicide is not an exception — it is expected. This campaign is a cry for visibility, dignity, and justice.” — Meleney Kriel, Founder & CEO, Viva Foundation
Event Details
Date: Friday, 9 August 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Venue: Viva Connect, Cullinan
Dress Code: Plain white T-shirt (for visual unity)
Agenda attached
Media Access & Enquiries
Contact: Meleney KrielPhone: +27 79 954 4426 Email: info@vivafoundation.life
Media packs, press access, and interviews available on request
INFO SUPPLIED.
