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Danisa Masuku
IT’S Thursday morning and this reporter has been assigned to unearth the goings on at a Bulawayo city centre flat, which has become home to self-proclaimed sex workers who hail from countries such as Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
The flat is situated near Connaught Avenue. Upon getting there, the news crew parked their car a few metres from the three-storey flat, which was buzzing with women of all shapes and sizes. It’s a mini-spectacle, mobile vendors and cars on a mission to buy sex weave their way through before they pick their prey in broad daylight.
While we were inching closer to a group of sex workers, a lady greeted this reporter in English before she gyrated to her room. Another lady, a carefree one, revealed that a short time (sex session) ranges from US$5 to US$10. But she quickly stated that on bad days they charge as low as US$1 for a short time, especially on Sundays.
How much does she make per day? The carefree lady was not mean with information and mentioned that she makes between US$50 and US$60 per day.
While making such a killing per day, one wonders how much they pay as rent. A source later revealed that each lady of the night pays $13 per day for a room. And more than 25 ladies stay there. Simple mathematics shows that the landlord would receive about US$390 from a single person and make at least US$9 750 per month from hosting the ladies engaged in the oldest profession.
They pay via a caretaker, a man who is a bit stout and very reserved. He was mean with finer details about the “brothel” and asked where we were from. The caretaker refused to disclose his identity and dashed into a small room at the foot of the flat where he phoned his manager. He was talking in a hushed voice and after a few minutes on the phone, he looked at the news crew and said:
“The manager said you should give me your cellphone number and he will call you.”
The news crew gave him the cellphone number, but no call had been received from the administration of the flat until the time of going to press.
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual at the flat and no other tenants stay there, apart from thigh vendors.
derick.khumalo