Namhla Tshisela

Talk Radio 702 personality Redi Direko will lead a march against sexual abuse and harassment from the Johannesburg Art Gallery to the Noord Street taxi rank today.

The march at 1pm follows a demonstration by women's groups on Friday.

The protest evoked mixed reactions from women's organisations.

On Friday hundreds of women marched to the taxi rank demanding an end to assaults and abuse following an attack on commuter Nwabisa Ngcukana three weeks ago. Ngcukana was sexually assaulted by taxi drivers for wearing a miniskirt.

Desiree Takalo of the Open Disclosure Foundation, which falls under the One in Nine Campaign, said the march was a means of expression for women who felt "oppressed".

Some of the demonstrators pulled their skirts up, exposing their breasts, thighs and underwear.

It gave some of the women an outlet to express their anger and rebel against some of the restraints imposed on them by society, said Takalo.

She, however, warned that the demonstration may have had a negative effect.

Nosipho Twala of the Remmoho Women's Forum said she was shocked by the behaviour of some of the demonstrators.

She condemned the behaviour of the taxi drivers who stripped naked and taunted the demonstrators in retaliation.

"Their perception is that women are sex objects."

Twala said more "education and gender sensitisation" were needed to change the attitude of taxi drivers.