Miniskirt taxi assault victim gets apology
2012-08-09 16:01
Johannesburg - The taxi industry has finally apologised to a woman, three years after she was assaulted at a Johannesburg taxi rank for wearing a miniskirt, The Star reported on Thursday.
The SA National Taxi Association (Santaco) invited Nwabisa Ngcukana, 29, and her father, Samson, to the Wanderers' taxi rank for a Women's Day event on Wednesday, where they received a formal apology.
Drivers attacked and sexually assaulted her three years ago at the Noord Street taxi rank.
Santaco also issued a general apology to female commuters, who often received abuse from taxi drivers.
"We acknowledge that we as taxi drivers have been abusive to society and want to say sorry," Santaco spokesman Philip Taaibosch told the paper.
Ngcukana accepted the apology, saying it had taken the industry a long time to make it. Samson, 85, also accepted the apology.
"What has passed, has passed. The incident affected me a lot," he was quoted as saying.
Nwabisa Ngcukana however said she still experienced rude taxi drivers.
At the same taxi rank, two women, identified only as Zama and Nomthandazo, were attacked in December 2011.
Nomthandazo had worn a black miniskirt and Zama a black top with white bra straps showing. A group of men taunted them about their clothes while groping them, pulling at their clothing, and taking photos with their cellphones.
They took refuge in a shop until metro police rescued them. The perpetrators were never caught.
- SAPA
