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Women to curb taxi chauvinists

Tebogo Monama

Tebogo Monama

The Ekurhuleni municipality and taxi bosses yesterday made a commitment to ensure that public transport will be safe for women.

The commitment was made in Germiston at the end of a two-day summit to address gender relations in the transport industry.

An important reference was the attack of Nwabisa Ngcukana, 25, who was stripped and violated at the Noord Street taxi rank by a mob of taxi drivers. Her crime was that she was wearing a short skirt.

No arrests have been made. She described her experience on Saturday.

Yesterday four commissions were held and their reports were adopted. In the behavioural challenges and chauvinism in the public transport industry and the broader society commission it was agreed that more women should join the industry to curb violence against women.

Ekurhuleni Regional Taxi Association's chairman Simon Magagula said: "Community policing forums need to play an active part in the taxi industry. The forums should have mobile officers next to taxi ranks to work with rank management committees to ensure commuter safety.

"Training is also needed for taxi drivers and queue marshals. The television screens at taxi ranks should be used to educate them."

Magagula said taxi associations will from today embark on road shows to educate drivers about the issues adopted at the summit.

Ekurhuleni council speaker Patricia Kumalo said the event was not a once-off.

In future it will include other modes of public transport such as busses and trains.

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