Prostitution rife in Tzaneen’s CBD

Tzaneen seems to no longer be the innocent tropical paradise of old, but rather a prostitution haven of note and business seems to be booming!

The oldest profession in the world which was previously active in the outskirts of town in the late hours of the night has now moved to the CBD and cars are queuing up after sunset. Ladies and gay men alike, dressed in miniskirts and provocative clothing, are most active in Agatha Street outside the municipal offices. Other roads such as Kort, Peace and Pienaar Street, are also a buzz of this illegal activity.

Maybe not that shocking to some, ‘male’ prostitution is also becoming a thing of the norm in the streets of this town. Drag queens are parading the pavement like a catwalk, and by the look of things, their market is keeping their purses chunky. Between 20:00 and 21:00, Agatha Street is bustling with activity and the street is lined up with vehicles, driven by customers wishing to engage with the sex workers.

Read: Limpopo sex workers to up prices for ANC ‘bonanza’

The LETABA HERALD observed how men in groups of two to three are standing on the corners of the streets. It is unclear if they are pimps or act as bodyguards to the prostitutes. In April the HERALD reported on a a gay man pretending to be a ‘female sex worker’ who was standing at the corner of Skirving Street when he was approached by a client.

A shooting later ensued, leaving the prostitute in a critical condition.

Captain Joseph Moseri, Tzaneen SAPS Spokesperson, then told the HERALD that, “A gay man pretending to be a ‘lady of the night’ was standing at the corner in Skirving Street when he was approached by a client. When the client realised that the prostitute was a man, he demanded his money back. The sex worker refused to refund the client, the client pulled out a pistol and wanted to shoot.”

It is reported that the victim began to run away and was shot in the back by the suspect. The victim was admitted in a critical condition in the Provincial Hospital in Polokwane.

No arrests had been made.

Another popular spot for prostitution is found on the road out of town towards the Industrial estate, just after Flora Park. Even in broad daylight, without the cloak of darkness, a group of women are carrying out their sexual transactions.

The HERALD team visited the spot at around 10:30 on Friday morning and found five women waiting for their next client in the middle of the road. Another location where prostitution is rife is at the old Checkers building, where it is believed that there are a number of young ladies who hang around the dilapidated building during the day, waiting to be picked up by their clients.

“Prostitution is a big challenge in the CBD. As the police, we are doing our best to arrest them, but after serving their jail term or paying their fine, they immediately go back to the streets again,” explained Sergeant Yvonne Moyana, Tzaneen SAPS Cluster Spokeswoman.

Rumours about an active brothel in what seems to be an ordinary house in Aqua Park are also gradually surfacing.

However, Moyana could not confirm the existence of such a house of ill repute. Jetty3 at the Tzaneen dam also seems to be a ‘hotspot’ of this distasteful activity, “We were practising ring-ball the other night. A light grey golf was parked on the other pitch right next to where we were practising. The ‘couple’ in the car were very busy. I walked over and asked them if they could please take their business somewhere else,” a source told the HERALD.

According to the source, taxis and cars alike are entering the jetty area mostly after 22:00 at night, “The dam area is busy at night, that much I can tell you.”

A well known lodge on the outskirts of Tzaneen is also rumoured to be a brothel of note. In April, Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Municipal Manager, Thapelo Matlala, indicated that eliminating prostitution in the CBD will be part of his focus with the hopes of making Tzaneen one of the best towns in the province.

The HERALD posed a question to the municipality’s Spokesman, Neville Ndlala as to what measures Matlala has taken in trying to address prostitution in the CBD.

Comment had not yet been received from Ndlala.