The DA will today write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Ms Thandi Mamela, to request that she calls for an urgent joint meeting of the Portfolio Committees of Women, Police and Transport and accordingly summon the Acting National Police Commissioner, Khomotso Phahlane, to address the ongoing problem of violence against women on public transport.
This is in light of reports yesterday that a mother was raped by a gun-wielding gang of men in an unregistered Quantum taxi in a four-hour ordeal in front of her ten-year-old son. It is also reported that since yesterday seven more women came forward with similar stories.
These incidents expose how vulnerable women are to brutal acts of violence, especially on public transport.
The DA will propose that all taxis that belong to registered taxi associations clearly mark their vehicles to indicate that they are indeed valid transport operators. The DA members of the Portfolio Committees on Police and Transport will now also be campaigning for clearly visible markers for taxi operators, as a safety measure to prevent such incidents of violence against women and children in the future.
The DA will also be submitting parliamentary questions to the Minister of Police, Nathi Nhleko, to get detailed information on how many similar incidents have been reported in each province across the country. It is clear that the incident in Gauteng and other similar incidents in the province is the work of a syndicate preying on women when they are at their most vulnerable.
Incidents such as this one is a clear indication that violence against women on public transport is an ongoing problem that must be rooted out and confronted head on.
Therefore the Departments of Women, Police and Transport must come together to address the lack of security measures in the public transport sector to keep women safe.
South African women live in constant fear whenever they get on a bus, train or taxi, as the threat of violent acts directed at them is constant. Measures be must put in place to protect our women against such vicious crimes.
It is shocking that women in this country are subjected to such brutal acts of violence on a daily basis and the DA will do everything in its power to promote and ensure the safety of women.