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Takawira Dapi
Herald Correspondent
Unrestrained drug trading and consumption by people of all ages and sex, and rampant child pregnancies, have become common features in Hopley, Harare.
It is not uncommon to come across girls as young as 10 years being pregnant.
The bulk of them are dumped by the “boyfriends” as soon as they fall pregnant, as men fear they would be arrested for statutory rape. Once some of these teens give birth, they turn to prostitution in the same area, particularly at Mbudzi Roundabout, Boka Tobacco Auction Floors and nearby nightclubs “so as to take of our children”.
Worryingly, the teen sex workers say they charge anything from as little as US$0,50c, just to ensure they salvage something on a given day.
Those seeking to charge slightly higher fees move to night spots and street corners in areas such as the nearby Waterfalls, Glen Norah, Mbare, Highfields, Southlea Park, Amalinda and Ivory Park suburbs.
Community leaders in Hopley said some of the young girls that end up venturing into prostitution were those taken from the rural areas after being promised jobs.
Said Mrs Tanaka Mombeyarara: “We are told that when these young girls come from the rural areas and they either don’t get the promised or decent salaries, they are then forced into prostitution so that they remain in urban areas.”
She implored parents to consistently check with their children once they leave the rural areas to find out how they would be living.
The Visionary Cadres Association of Zimbabwe (VICAZ), held its first roadshow against drug and child abuses in Hopley, on the International Day against Drug Abuse, and discovered that drugs were being sold to all age groups and sexes, from as young as 10 years. The day is commemorated annually on June 26.
VICAZ secretary for transport and welfare, Mr Tirivanhu Gwengwe said some of the child mothers were now sharing one room, in some cases in groups of five, just to ensure they raised the required money for rent and remain with some money to fend for their children.
“In Hopley, drugs are being sold almost everywhere,” said Mr Gwengwe. “Child abuse is also prevalent since the young kids born by the young mothers will be left alone as their mothers engage in transactional sex to cater for the children.”
Mr Gwengwe said they had engaged Harare South legislator, Cde Tongai Mnangagwa, with a view to setting up a rehabilitation centre in Hopley, to help the affected people.
“There is need for stringent measures to be executed in regards to the state of the vulnerable children in Hopley,” he said. “They are at risk of serious abuse in the area. Local police officers must be engaged now to investigate on already reported abuse cases.’’
VICAZ, which was inaugurated in March this year, has since launched various campaigns such as “No to Mutoriro (crystal meth)”, “No to Drugs”, “Not to Child Abuse” and “Not to any human abuse”.
Apart from fighting child sexual abuse and drug abuse, VICAZ is also helping children living and working on the streets to get birth certificates and national identity cards, riding on the ongoing blitz that is offering such documents for free.
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