Brothels thriving in Beitbridge

BROTHELS have resurfaced in Dulibadzimu high-density suburb in Beitbridge despite a recent warning by council to repossess houses that harbour prostitutes.

Last year, Beitbridge Town Council engaged residents who had turned their houses into lodges following an                   outcry from the local community over the proliferation of brothels in the border town.

Most of the houses that have been turned into havens of prostitution are situated  near Dulibadzimu Bus Terminus and the entire area had been turned into a red light district.

When Chronicle visited the houses on Saturday night, young girls could be seen parading themselves semi-naked to attract male clients.

Some of the sex workers who spoke to Chronicle said they have been staying at the houses for more than five months paying daily rentals of R50.

Last year, the town secretary Dr Sipho Singo warned the brothel operators against the practice saying that the mushrooming  of brothels was against the law.

Dr Singo said then that those who defied the directive to shut down the brothels risked losing their properties.

"As a local authority, we are the owners  and custodians of the land hence we would like to warn residents against defying the order.

"We are empowered to repossess the houses under the Urban Councils Act because it is illegal to operate a brothel and those who are doing so are violating a section of the Urban Councils Act, which zones areas into different uses and categories," he said then.

According to the Urban Councils Act, local authorities are empowered to make by-laws that prohibit the utilisation of any land or building in a manner that interferes with the convenience or comfort of neighbours or in the amenities of the locality.

The local authority had listed 12 houses, which had been identified as brothels.

Several houses in the high-density suburb are fast being turned into brothels to cater for the ballooning number of commercial sex workers descending on Beitbridge.

The chairperson of the Beitbridge Residents' Association, Mr Lawrence Tshili, expressed concern over the latest development, saying it impacted negatively on the image of the border town.

He said converting houses to commercial use also contributed to an acute shortage of houses in Beitbridge.

"This issue of turning houses into brothels negatively affects residents and you will find that genuine home seekers are now failing to secure decent accommodation while some lodgers are evicted willy-nilly by landlords to pave way for commercial sex workers who pay high rentals daily," he said.

Another resident, Mrs Miriam Mbedzi, echoed Mr Tshili's sentiments saying:"These commercial sex workers, some from as far as Zvishavane and Masvingo, pay rent through the nose, unlike tenants who pay on a monthly basis. In some cases, you find that six prostitutes would be staying crammed in a single  room with each paying between R30 and R50 per day and the landlord would be raking in about R9 000 per room every month."

Normal monthly rentals for a house in Dulibadzimu ranges between R400 and R500.

Due to its proximity to South Africa, Beitbridge continues to attract scores of sex workers in search of business.

They mainly target stranded truck drivers and travellers passing through the border post. Due to rampant prostitution and the transit population, the border town has also recorded the highest prevalence rate of HIV and Aids in the country.