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Hazel Marimbiza
The mushrooming of sex workers in Mbundane high density suburb has caused alarm among parents in the area as many of their teenage girls have been lured into sex work.
According to reliable sources the twilight girls are flooding the area because of affordable rent.
“Most of these sex workers come from Nyamandlovu, Mzingwane and Tsholotsho resettlement areas and settle here because they only pay $10 for rent.
Perhaps what is most saddening is that the sex workers are enticing teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16 into sex work.
Parents displayed grief stricken faces as they told B-Metro that they feared for their children’s lives.
“Recently my daughter told me that she cannot stand the fact that I discipline her always. She has made friends with some of the sex workers so she disappears from home every time I scold her and she goes to find shelter in the sex workers’ house,” said Brenda Zhou.
Residents said these young girls did not know the dangers associated with this work thereby exposing themselves to a number of diseases, a risk that increases the HIV prevalence in the area as their clients are mainly young men.
National Aids Council provincial manager for Bulawayo Sinatra Nyathi said the issue has been brought to her attention.
“The organisation together with other stakeholders is working towards conducting awareness programmes in Mbundane where they will hold sessions on commercial sex work and sexually transmitted diseases,” said Nyathi.
derick.khumalo