The Unburied Casket.

Women For Change and Edelman say 5,578 women were murdered in South Africa in a year, a 33.8% rise, and that years of protests and coverage had left the public desensitised and the government unresponsive. The group wanted gender-based violence and femicide declared a national disaster.

Instead of another protest, they staged a funeral. The casket was built 33.8% larger than a standard coffin, to mirror the rise, and covered in black, white and purple Zulu beadwork with 5,578 purple beads, one for each woman killed. Inside were images of victims, a QR code linking to their stories and the printed petition. On 11 April 2025 a funeral procession carried it to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where the memorandum and petition were handed to Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. The casket then toured the country, and before the G20 summit a billboard read: 'Welcome to the country where women are only safe in a casket.'