By Niels Posthumus
Nobody has the right to dictate what women should wear. This was the message sent out by about 300 people - some wearing T-shirts with the words "Pissed-off woman" - as they protested against the harassment and insulting of women by taxi drivers at taxi ranks.
The demonstrators, male and female, descended on Joubert Park on Tuesday afternoon and marched in the direction of the Noord Street taxi rank, marking the second protest in response to an incident at the Noord Street taxi rank two weeks ago in which 25-year-old Nwabisa Ngcukana was stripped and sexually assaulted by some taxi drivers because she was wearing a miniskirt.
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Miranda Friedman, director of the organisation Women and Men Against Child Abuse, said she was tired of the ongoing discussion about women's bodies.
| 'When you ask them to drive a little slower' |
"You may like or dislike certain clothes and styles, but you can't order or forbid someone to wear something," she said.
Demonstrator Tiny Moloko agreed, saying she was fed up with the taxi drivers.
"They're not only harassing people sexually, but they are also emotionally insulting us. For example, when you ask them to drive a little slower, they'll tell you to get out of the taxi."
The march stopped for a while in front of the Noord Street taxi rank, where the atmosphere became tense.
"Do what you want, but do it in your own place," some taxi drivers shouted from the roof of the taxi rank where they had gathered, looking down at dozens of boards with slogans like "There are no short cuts for women's rights".
| 'They'll tell you to get out of the taxi' |
Elson Yende, the head of the Noord Street taxi rank, said that although he hadn't been informed of the march he understood the women's anger.
"We try the best we can, but there are so many taxi drivers and passengers in the rank that it is impossible to look after all of them," he said.
"We need extra money for security guards... And there should be cameras placed in the rank. It is the government that has to do something. It's a public place, you know."
Protester Bethuel Mbangisi shook his head when he looked at the men shouting from the roof.
"They are so stubborn and weak, screaming from above instead of coming down to talk," he said.
"They just think they own the place... They don't show any respect to anyone.
- This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on March 05, 2008
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