Seven brothels down – sex workers talk
With the economy falling some people have to go to desperate measures to make ends meet.
The past week Brigadier, Delisiwe Goodness Motha organized a march to take eMalahleni back.
In the operation there were many arrests made; from common robberies to drug dealing to closing brothels.
A journalist from WITBANK NEWS interviewed some of the sex workers to hear how this closing of brothels is affecting them.
Prostitutes in and around eMalahleni waiting for the next customer.
One of the sex workers that wishes to stay anonymous said,
“I don’t really know how to put it… If I say it straight it will be that it’s a pain in the ass.”
Further along more sex workers came to light and gave their opinion about this whole situation.
“The economy is going down hill. The mines are closing down, the municipality is not doing so great and everybody is struggling,” said another sex worker.
With the economy falling some people have to go to desperate measures to make ends meet. That means crime increases and illegal trades get bigger.
There was mentioned that being a prostitute is legal but owning a brothel is illegal.
The spokesperson of Witbank Police, Eddie Hall stated, “that prostitution is still illegal in South Africa just as keeping a brothel is illegal.”
“I have been a sex worker from 2013 to provide for my family and children. I only have one child but I am raising my sister’s little boy too. He is doing so good in school that I would do anything to make the best of his talents,” she said.
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Her reason for being a prostitute was because of the poverty strikes, hunger strikes and because of her father passing away, she had to make a plan to provide as she is the only one that is still in the condition to work.
“I know there is something better out there but this trade pays the bills. I am the bread winner in our family. Do you know how disappointed I feel when my two children ask for something and I can’t provide?” she added.
This trade is not a chosen one the ladies would prefer but they still remain human.
“Selling my body takes a piece of my soul and it is all for surviving. Street life is not an easy life and you have to listen to your inner soul if the client looks trustworthy or not,” said a sex worker.
While these ladies shared their heartbreaking stories the question was asked, “why do the police abuse us when they arrest us?”
It came to light that the CPF (Community Policing Forum) allegedly arrest them and hold them in the back of the police van while proceeding with their professional duties as well as personal duties.
“They once arrested me at 19:00 and travelled everywhere before they just dropped me off the next morning,” one said.
“Being in this trade your mindset must flow, you have to think about positive things and can’t take your work back home,” she added.
These ladies have to rent a room per day just to sleep, work and rest a while.
“We are running solo and we feel that we are renting a room like in a guesthouse so what we do in our rented property does not mean we are part of a brothel. We pay to stay there,” one went on.
For these ladies it feels like they are not doing anything wrong.
“We are not those girls on the street that are luring the clients closer, clients comes to us for a service we provide,” she also said.
When the question was asked about customers picking them up and taking them away from the place they stay they had the following to say.
“In this industry you will take anything, it is like a chance we are taking. Some of the men sometimes pick us up and when the business went down they just dump us off next to the road, far from our place,” another sex worker said.
The station commander of Witbank SAPS Brigadier Delisiwe Motha said; “she will keep enforcing this law as prostitution links to several other crimes such as the usage and dealing in drugs. We cannot allow that prostitution and the running of brothels as business take over our town.”
“We are fighting a losing battle in this country. There is no work for us so we have to do what is available for us to do,” the sex worker concluded.
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