Mini harassment 'old problem'
2008-03-07 10:12
Johannesburg - Sexual harassment of women in miniskirts at taxi ranks here has been occurring for at least eight years, the Gauteng community safety portfolio committee was told on Thursday.
Simon Mpembe, assistant commissioner of Johannesburg's central police station, said: "Intelligence information indicates that this victimisation of women in miniskirts has been going on for some eight to 10 years."
He said, however, that only one incident had been reported to the police.
This was after Nwabisa Ngcukana, 25, was stripped and assaulted at the Noord Street taxi rank on February 17.
"There are no police records of previous incidents as victims are afraid of further victimisation.
"Women in miniskirts are stripped naked, assaulted and left to the mercy of bystanders."
Clothing held to ransom
He said the perpetrators and instigators were "arrogant and disrespectful" taxi drivers and informal traders.
Mpembe said that, according to the police report filed by Ngcukana, she had been approaching a taxi to board it when one of the informal traders whistled to the driver to tell him she was wearing a miniskirt.
Ngcukana was then attacked, humiliated and her dress and panties were held to ransom.
Her friends helped to buy back her clothing, said Mpembe.
He told the committee that "tough" corrective measures would be implemented at taxi ranks.
These included improved CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera positioning, declaring ranks a gun-free zone, launching a toll-free number and possibly closing down the Noord Street rank.
The committee said arrests needed to be made, not only of the taxi driver and his three accomplices who assaulted Ncgukana, but also the men at recent miniskirt marches who showed their private parts.
Chairperson Jackie Mofokeng said: "How do you allow men to strip off and show their things? That is public indecency... this is not a banana republic," adding that police knew who the men were as their photographs had appeared in a number of newspapers.
The committee recommended that taxi owners be given until Sunday to hand over the drivers who had been working when Ngcukana was attacked for an identity parade.
"If I know it is my bread and butter, I will bring my drivers in," said Mofokeng.
Committee member Hope Papo said arguments that attacks on women in miniskirts were justified because the women's attire flew in the face of the African culture were not valid.
"The issue is that these thugs want to say what women should wear," he said.
Call for others to report attacks
Mpembe said there was a possibility of closing down the Noord Street taxi rank as it was a "hotspot" for criminal activity.
"It will be done when it is appropriate," he said, adding that various "processes" needed to be completed first.
He said it was hoped that since one woman had reported an act of sexual assault, others would do so as well.
Mpembe said it was important the community becomes sensitised and became brave enough to report cases.
- SAPA