Solidarity walk and femicide vigil | Kgalalelo Rakgokong and Ursula Masuku on the SU Anti-GBV Community
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As vigils and memorial runs take place across South Africa in response to the ongoing femicide crisis, students at Stellenbosch University are gathering to mourn, to stand together and to call for change on their own campus. Kgalalelo Rakgokong, co-founder of the SU Anti-GBV Community, and Ursula Masuku, a representative of the SU Anti-GBV Community, join Thoriso Mahura on Lunch Club to unpack the Solidarity Walk and Femicide Vigil taking place in Stellenbosch on Friday, 18 September 2026.
The SU Anti-GBV Community is a student-led collective working to confront gender-based violence at Stellenbosch University and to hold the institution accountable for how it responds. Rakgokong helped found the community and brings the perspective of someone who has built student organising around this issue from the ground up. Masuku represents the community and speaks to the practical work of preparing for the walk, including safety planning and support for those who attend. The walk is co-hosted with Womxn and Queer Empowerment (WAQE) and SASCO.
The conversation moves from grief to action. It considers what it means for students to hold a vigil during a week of national mourning, what the organisers are still asking of the university, and how every student, not only women and student leaders, can take part in ending gender-based violence.
What we cover in this episode:
- Why a vigil: The organisers explain why the gathering was planned as both a solidarity walk and a femicide vigil. They reflect on who the walk honours and what it means to mourn together as a campus community.
Building a coalition: The walk brings together the SU Anti-GBV Community, WAQE and SASCO. The guests discuss how the partnership came about and what each organisation contributes.
- The call for accountability: At the end of August, the SU Anti-GBV Community and WAQE marched on campus and called for a standalone, publicly accessible framework for handling gender-based violence cases at SU. The guests reflect on where that call stands and how the vigil connects to it.
- Safety on the night: Masuku outlines the safety arrangements for the evening walk, including safety marshals and engagement with Campus Security. She also explains how students can get home safely, noting that shuttle services from the Neelsie must be booked 24 hours in advance.
Why everyone needs to show up: The guests address low turnout at earlier gatherings and speak directly to young men about why their presence matters.
- Support and what comes next: The conversation closes with where students can find support, how to show up for a friend who discloses violence, and the change the organisers want to see on campus after the candles are out.
Walk details and support:
The Solidarity Walk and Femicide Vigil takes place on Friday, 18 September 2026, at 18:00 for 18:30, starting from the top of Victoria Street at Irene Residence. The dress code is black. Follow the SU Anti-GBV Community on Instagram at @su_antigibv and WAQE at @waqe_su for updates. Anyone who needs support can contact the GBV Command Centre, which is open 24 hours, on 0800 428 428.
Stream MFM 92.6: www.mfm.co.za
Follow us on socials: @mfm926
The SU Anti-GBV Community is a student-led collective working to confront gender-based violence at Stellenbosch University and to hold the institution accountable for how it responds. Rakgokong helped found the community and brings the perspective of someone who has built student organising around this issue from the ground up. Masuku represents the community and speaks to the practical work of preparing for the walk, including safety planning and support for those who attend. The walk is co-hosted with Womxn and Queer Empowerment (WAQE) and SASCO.
The conversation moves from grief to action. It considers what it means for students to hold a vigil during a week of national mourning, what the organisers are still asking of the university, and how every student, not only women and student leaders, can take part in ending gender-based violence.
What we cover in this episode:
- Why a vigil: The organisers explain why the gathering was planned as both a solidarity walk and a femicide vigil. They reflect on who the walk honours and what it means to mourn together as a campus community.
Building a coalition: The walk brings together the SU Anti-GBV Community, WAQE and SASCO. The guests discuss how the partnership came about and what each organisation contributes.
- The call for accountability: At the end of August, the SU Anti-GBV Community and WAQE marched on campus and called for a standalone, publicly accessible framework for handling gender-based violence cases at SU. The guests reflect on where that call stands and how the vigil connects to it.
- Safety on the night: Masuku outlines the safety arrangements for the evening walk, including safety marshals and engagement with Campus Security. She also explains how students can get home safely, noting that shuttle services from the Neelsie must be booked 24 hours in advance.
Why everyone needs to show up: The guests address low turnout at earlier gatherings and speak directly to young men about why their presence matters.
- Support and what comes next: The conversation closes with where students can find support, how to show up for a friend who discloses violence, and the change the organisers want to see on campus after the candles are out.
Walk details and support:
The Solidarity Walk and Femicide Vigil takes place on Friday, 18 September 2026, at 18:00 for 18:30, starting from the top of Victoria Street at Irene Residence. The dress code is black. Follow the SU Anti-GBV Community on Instagram at @su_antigibv and WAQE at @waqe_su for updates. Anyone who needs support can contact the GBV Command Centre, which is open 24 hours, on 0800 428 428.
Stream MFM 92.6: www.mfm.co.za
Follow us on socials: @mfm926
