I wish to thank Sowetan for exposing the behaviour of the bad and abusive taxi drivers and queue marshals at Noord Street taxi rank in Johannesburg on Monday.

I wish to thank Sowetan for exposing the behaviour of the bad and abusive taxi drivers and queue marshals at Noord Street taxi rank in Johannesburg on Monday.

I wish to condemn the abuse by taxi drivers of a young woman on Sunday and other women everyday at taxi ranks in our country.

These men are ignorant, barbaric and they are taking us back after we fought for liberation and the emancipation of women in this country.

The abuse that took place over the weekend needs to be condemned.

What type of men would do such horrendous actions of abusing women who are young enough to be their daughters.

They are nothing but cowards who prey on innocent and defenceless women.

They are not men enough.

It is even shameful to hear that women are abused every day by taxi drivers and there are witnesses to these acts but never any reports.

In South Africa we have laws enacted by Parliament to protect the rights of women. South Africa itself is a signatory to the Cedaw Declaration.

The whole world praises South Africa for having progressive laws that are in favour of women, but we still hear about the rights of women being trampled and violated everyday, especially at the taxi ranks.

The oppression and violation of women 14 years into our democracy is a shame.

The government is encouraging people to use public transport and yet there are a lot of human rights violations that are happening at the hands of the people who are supposed to take us to work and back home safely.

We call upon all women to be united and stand up for their rights and fight this scourge of patriarchy and male domination, especially in the taxi industry.

We call upon women taxi drivers and owners to name and shame these culprits and get rid of them.

These culprits should be brought to book.

Women should be loved, respected and protected.

Faith MazibukoANC Women's League, Diepkloof