THE two teenagers who were harassed and groped by a group of men near the Noord Street taxi rank last week laid charges of harassment and intimidation at the Johannesburg central police station yesterday.

Matshidiso Mfikoe, a member of the mayoral committee for public safety, said. "We brought the two girls to open a case. They are very young, between the ages of 18 and 19 years old.

"It was a sad thing to see (the video of) old men chasing after such young women. It is an embarrassing thing. We will take them for counselling as soon as possible."

She continued: "The girls said they could remember some of the men who attacked them, so we are hopeful of their prosecution. We don't need to arrest all the men, we only need a few to make an example," Mfikoe said.

"They didn't see the need to open a case but after we spoke to them we were able to convince them to go to the police."

Metro police spokesman Wayne Minnaar said: "The girls were traumatised and nervous and didn't want any publicity."

A group of between 60 and 70 salivating men appear on the video tape groping the two teenagers who were later rescued by metro police.

The incident drew sharp criticism from, among others, Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, who said: "This incident not only tells us that women still face serious challenges of discrimination and gender-based violence, but also demonstrates that this taxi rank is becoming notorious for behaviour that goes against the moral fibre of the society we are trying to build."

"The behaviour of the men who confronted the youngsters did not belong in a democratic society," the Department for Women, Children and People With Disabilities said in a statement.