News / Africa
Zim man robbed of his dreadlocks in SA
29 Jan 2013 at 08:14hrs | Views
Johannesburg - A Zimbabwean man was recently robbed of his dreadlocks at a night club in Johannesburg in order to feed a growing demand for human hair extensions, a report said on Tuesday.
The Times said Mutsa Madonko had his long locks that he has grown for 10 years, cut off while partying at a Johannesburg club.
His friends found him passed out – with his head shaven.
"When we found him, he still had his cellphone and wallet with all his money inside," his friend Jasper Munsinwa told The Times.
Natural dreadlocks are sold as hair extensions for anything between R200 and R2 500 depending on the length, said The Times.
The extensions are weaved into clients' own hair. They are worn by both men and women.
Synthetic extensions have been used for years, but the Times report suggests demand for 100% human hair dreadlocks is growing.
Few cases
One hair stylist in downtown Johannesburg John Wushe told the paper that dreadlocks "are becoming very popular. On a busy day we get 10 people [wanting] to extend their hair".
"We have only heard stories - no cases have been reported to us," Captain John Maluleka, Johannesburg police spokesperson said.
Maluleka said it could be a case of victims being too embarrassed to report the theft of their hair.
He encouraged victims to open cases of assault.
Globally, the fad for human hair extensions has spawned a multi-million dollar industry, with Indian and Brazilian hair the most popular among women.
The Times said Mutsa Madonko had his long locks that he has grown for 10 years, cut off while partying at a Johannesburg club.
His friends found him passed out – with his head shaven.
"When we found him, he still had his cellphone and wallet with all his money inside," his friend Jasper Munsinwa told The Times.
Natural dreadlocks are sold as hair extensions for anything between R200 and R2 500 depending on the length, said The Times.
The extensions are weaved into clients' own hair. They are worn by both men and women.
Synthetic extensions have been used for years, but the Times report suggests demand for 100% human hair dreadlocks is growing.
Few cases
One hair stylist in downtown Johannesburg John Wushe told the paper that dreadlocks "are becoming very popular. On a busy day we get 10 people [wanting] to extend their hair".
"We have only heard stories - no cases have been reported to us," Captain John Maluleka, Johannesburg police spokesperson said.
Maluleka said it could be a case of victims being too embarrassed to report the theft of their hair.
He encouraged victims to open cases of assault.
Globally, the fad for human hair extensions has spawned a multi-million dollar industry, with Indian and Brazilian hair the most popular among women.
Source - AFP
