While South Africa is celebrating 16 days of activism against the abuse of women and children, a lady who was forced out of the front seat of a taxi because the traffic cop said she was too fat to occupy the front seat, was awarded R50 000 in compensation by the court.

The incident took place on December 15, 2002, when Ms Lydia Tsanwani of Biaba was a passenger in a taxi, after attending a wedding in the Thohoyandou Indoor Sports Centre. Ms Tsanwani is a respected teacher at the Tshivhidzo Masiagwala Secondary School in Maungani.

She said a well-known traffic official of the Thulamela Municipality, Mr Mulandeli, stopped the taxi and told her she "was too fat" to occupy the front seat of the taxi, claiming that she was endangering the lives of the other commuters. When she objected against the traffic official’s words, the Mulandeli ordered that she be arrested and she was taken to the Thohoyandou Police Station. She was kept in die holding cells and only released after five hours.

"I felt humiliated and discriminated against. I never chose to be fat. How can I endanger lives of commuters while I was not driving?" asked Tsanwani. She said the official humiliated her and she tried to lose weight. "Every time that I have to occupy the front seat, I am scared that I will be ejected like on that day."

Last Thursday (November 29) the Thohoyandou High Court ordered the Thulamela Municipal Manager to pay Ms Tsanwani R50 000, because she had been insulted and unlawfully arrested by the traffic official.

According to Ms Tsanwani, she did not "do it for money or to settle a score. It was the first time I saw the man. I did it to protect my rights and the rights of every other woman."

She added that it is time for women to break the silence and speak out against physical and psychological abuse. "People shouldn´t be treated differently because of the way they look. I did not create myself. God did," said Tsanwani.

The communication manager of the Thulamela Municipality, Mr Nndwamato Tshiila, said the municipality received the judgment and matter is in the hands of their legal advisors. He declined to comment whether the Municipality will take steps against the traffic official, Mr Mulanduli.