Irate taxi drivers spewed profanities at about 300 men and women who demonstrated at the Noord Street taxi rank in the Joburg CBD in protest against the sexual harassment of female commuters by taxi drivers.
Tuesday's march, led by Talk Radio 702 host Redi Direko, ruffled taxi drivers' feathers as the lunchtime demonstration brought the rank to a standstill.
One taxi driver was heard saying: "Why do they come here to our workplace and disturb us? They were here on Friday, now they are back. We're losing business."
Yet, despite the taxi drivers' hostile reaction, the young and old, male and female, short-skirted marchers were determined to have their voices heard.
They chanted slogans and held up placards reading: "We love our miniskirts" and "We aren't road signs, you need to respect us."
One demonstrator, Shado Nkosi (51), said she was marching for her children and grandchildren.
"I don't want things like this to happen to them later on. It must stop now," she said
Carlos Sithole (78), from Tembisa - one of a fair number of men who turned out in support - said violence against women was abominable.
"I've come to show support and to say that it's (the taxi drivers' abuse of women) not right," he said.
The march - escorted by an army of police officers - began at the Johannesburg Art Gallery in Klein Street and proceeded to the Noord Street taxi rank, where Direko addressed marchers and taxi drivers.
"We are not here to fight with our brothers. We are here to ask them not to fight us. We have a right to wear whatever we want and go wherever we want, mind your job and not women," she said.
The director of Women and Men against Child Abuse, Miranda Friedman, showed her support by wearing a red miniskirt and said: "We are protected by a liberal constitution. Women should be able to wear what they want without the fear of verbal or physical abuse."
Top Six Taxi Association spokesperson Boy-boy Mogorosi said there was a need to train taxi drivers in customer service and suggested that a taxi academy be set up.
Tuesday's march follows the sexual assault of Nwabisa Ngcukana (25), of Soweto, at the rank two weeks ago. She was stripped of her clothes and physically, emotionally and sexually abused, allegedly by taxi drivers, for wearing a miniskirt.
Ngcukana was among the protesters on Tuesday, Proudly wearing a short silver dress and high heels, she described how a mob of more than 100 men looked on as others "ripped my clothes, and stuck their hands under my skirt and into my private parts".
"I thought they were going to rape me."
But she added she was ecstatic over the overwhelming support she has received from the public, saying: "Thank you South Africa for supporting me and other victims by voicing your concern for this issue."