Vendors do roaring trade in sex herbs

Vendors in Harare's avenues are doing brisk business with the sales of sexual performance enhancement herbs to men using the services of sex workers synonymous with the area.

The Zimbabwean visited the areas to talk to female vendors selling the concoction, known as sex coffee, which is packed in small green sachets that sell for $3 each. The price can be negotiated when a client buys more than one packet.

"We are doing big business here with these herbs. Most of our clients are up-market - including bankers and business people as well as spoiled brats from the northern suburbs. They flock here for the sex coffee, which drink to improve their performance," said a young lady selling the herbs.

The vendors say the concoction is imported from China and South Korea. "The big people who buy these herbs testify that they find them useful. Some refer their colleagues to us and this is making our business thrive. On overage I take home at least $20 from the sales and I cannot complain", said another female vendor at the corner of Fife Avenue and Second Street.

The herbs can be taken with soft drinks, tea or water and last for 72 hours from the time of consumption. "We also have female clients coming to buy the coffee for their partners and this makes us believe that the product is not harmful but enhances sexual pleasure," said another vendor operating at Montague shops.

Health hazards

Without caring about the health hazards associated with the use of concoctions that are not medically approved, sex hunting males were buying the herbs like hot cakes.

A cell phone dealer Takorekana Mundoza (not real name) said he enjoys sex after using the coffee.

"I use these herbs whenever I seek for the services of our sister of the night because I want to get value for my money. I have heard people saying that the coffee has some side effects but I have never witnessed any for the past five years I have been using this as well as several different herbs," he said. The Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association ZINATHA said traditionally there were concoctions that were taken by people who had problems conceiving children, but such herbs were administered only by traditionally recognised elders.

Prince Mutandi Sibanda, the secretary for education and culture in ZINATHA, said they discouraged the trading of herbs and medicines in the streets. "These you are talking about that have flooded the black market and are dangerous to people's health because their origins are not known.

"They are exposed to direct sunlight and one does not even know where were they mixed and how. So as ZINATHA we are saying people should not buy medicines from the streets as this may cause health complications." Private medical practitioner Dr Julius Mangwiro advised that people should buy medicines only from pharmacies upon a prescription from a medial practitioner.

"There are several serious health risks that come with buying medicines from the streets because of the substandard nature of the products being sold. We have lots of people who have developed complications after taking medicines which are not medically approved and my advice is that people should not look for any medicine outside health care centres.