Online Reporter
Ronald Mpofu
ABOUT 15 teenagers, including underage girls, allegedly set up a “no- holds-barred all-styles-go” brothel in Plumtree’s Mathendele Township.
So popular was the brothel that many men reportedly stopped going home or caring for their families. They preferred showering the “children” with gifts and cash in exchange for steamy sex.
Women in the area got fed up, teamed up with police and shut down the brothel last week.
Seven girls were arrested during a police raid while others scattered to parts unknown. Two were aged below 18 years old.
The girls, whose ages range from 14 to 19 years old and are believed to originate from surrounding rural areas including; Ndolwane, Matjinge, Tshitshi, Macingwana and iZimnyama; were operating from an unoccupied house that is still under construction.
The owner of the house, who is in South Africa, is said to be unaware of the activities at his house.
Residents in Plumtree’s Ward 1 demanded the immediate removal of the girls saying, besides leading their husbands astray, they were promoting loose morals among young people in the community.
“These kids must be using something to turn our men into imbeciles. I shudder to think the kind of diseases they must be infested with. They were tireless sex machines who accommodated anyone with money. These girls also attracted criminals to the area. They lived at a house with no roof, running water or any other amenities. Where did they bath before sleeping with our men?” an angry woman asked B-Metro.
The news crew visited the house and found stinking stashes of used condoms among other unhygenically disposed debris.
Community members reported disturbances caused by the young girls
“Disputes with boyfriends frequently erupted and obscene noises rang through the night, disrupting the peace and making it difficult for neighbours to sleep,” another resident said.
Following the raid, police embarked on an outreach programme aimed at educating residents about their rights and how to tackle crime in the area.
Speaking during the police outreach, residents thanked authorities for removing the group from their community. They claimed that attempts by locals to correct the girls’ behaviour were met with insults.
“They were so foul-mouthed we ended up being afraid to speak to them. They would tell you a word or two that would send you straight to bed, where you would take hours to recover,” said a resident.
As part of the engagement, officers provided guidance to landlords in the community, warning them against renting properties to juveniles without first obtaining consent from their parents or guardians.
A woman accused the girls of giving information they obtain during sex, to criminals who break into their homes to steal.
“These girls drink at local bars and hook up with our brothers who drink there, they then later inform their boyfriends who then break into houses and steal,” fumed a resident during the outreach.
Matabeleland South Province Police Spokesperson Inspector Chiratidzo Dube confirmed the girls’ arrest.
“There were seven girls arrested, two being juveniles and 5 adults aged between 18 and 19 years old. The girls are paying rent to a relative of the owner of the house who is in South Africa. Police are still investigating the issue and the Social Welfare Department has been appraised,” said Insp Dube.
