SOUTH AFRICA: Woman Is Raped In Taxi In The Presence Of Her Son

A woman in Johannesburg has said she was raped in the back of a taxi in front of her young son, saying she hopes her story will encourage other victims to come forward.

The woman explained how she and her 10-year-old child boarded a taxi on Ontdekkers Road on Sunday morning before she was held at gunpoint and raped inside the vehicle.

The three men in the taxi also forced her to hand over her ATM card and PIN number and withdrew money from her account several times.

She says she hopes that by speaking about the incident, she can encourage other victims to come forward, and potentially help prevent more attacks.

The woman explained how her young son was told to lie face down on the floor of the taxi as she was raped on the back seat.

“Then I could not imagine the whole time that I was there was praying that they wouldn’t even touch him.”

She says she kept thinking of how her son would be affected by the ordeal.

The woman says the incident lasted for four hours.

“I didn’t like what happened to me and I don’t think any of us is okay with that.”

She says she hopes police will act decisively and her attackers will be arrested.

“Sometimes it feels like our justice system is not there for us.”

Police have confirmed they are investigating a rape case and several other similar incidents.

Gauteng MEC for Community Safety Sizakele Nkosi-Maloban has called on women who have been sexually assaulted by taxi drivers to come forward and report the crimes, and she’s urging taxi drivers to point out rapists.

The MEC held a meeting with taxi associations in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The latest case on Thursday morning that a Johannesburg woman was allegedly raped in the back of a taxi in front of her 10-year-old son on Sunday.

Police have confirmed two other cases were reported in the Roodepoort area last year, and that several cases have been opened in Soweto.

Nkosi-Malobane says she is disappointed that this has been happening for some time.

“It looks like it’s something that’s been happening for quite some time. Taxi leadership is not surprised that women are being raped in taxis. They claim that police are aware that women have been victims of rape and no one has done anything about it.”