A hundred rand for straight sex

JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – The reporter stopped and asked the young woman if she would tell her story. “Yes, but only if you give me R100.” Melissa (28) got into the car and was driven to a place of safety to tell her tale.

She was born and brought up in Chatsworth, Durban and left school in grade 11. “My father and me didn’t get along and after many arguments he kicked me out.

Melissa is just one of many street workers in the Johannesburg South area who sell their bodies to live.

“I came to Johannesburg to try and get work but without matric no-one wanted to employ me. I began selling my body out of desperation and I’ve been doing this now for nearly three years.

“I rent a room in Rosettenville for R1 700 a month. It’s just a room and there is an outside toilet and bath I can use,” she said.

She starts her day at about 11:00 and stands on various street corners in Rosettenville, waiting for clients. I asked her how many men she sees a day? “Between three and six, occasionally more.” I asked her which race of men are more frequent clients? “I see more white men than black and coloured. I charge R100 for straight sex and for extra’s I charge between R200 and R300. I earn between R3 000 and R4 000 a month.

Where do they take you? “My room, a local hotel or we have sex in the car, especially if it’s dark. Then after we’ve had sex he takes me back to where he picked me up.”

Melissa said she usually works five days a week, but not only week days. “I go back to my room in the afternoon sometime and rest and then I go back out onto the streets again in the evening. I have regular clients who see me every few days. Some of them drive very fancy cars.”

I asked her if she’s ever been beaten up? “No, I haven’t. I think I have a sixth sense and sometimes a car stops and when I see the man I don’t want to go with him.

Melissa said she doesn’t want to do this for money but she can’t live any other way. “I’ll be honest with you I do smoke cigarettes but don’t do drugs and I drink, but not because I have to. Just a couple of drinks.”

Do you think about your future? “Yes. I have a 10-year-old daughter who lives with my parents. They don’t know what I do to earn money and they would be very angry with me if they knew. I don’t want to be a prostitute for ever and I’d like to get out of it and do something else. It’s just a way I can earn some money to keep me alive and I manage to send some back for my daughter.”

Have you ever been arrested? “Yes, a few times. I’ve been let off paying bail once or twice or have had to pay R300 to get out of the police cell. I call someone I know who can help me with the money.

Would you like to finish your matric if you had the opportunity? “Yes, I really would. Without my matric I’m going nowhere.”

If this was your daughter, how would you feel?

Email: juliem@caxton.co.za