RESIDENTS in Bulawayo’s central business district (CBD) have raised alarm over the rowdy behaviour of commercial sex workers in the area.
The most affected residents are those staying along Fort street and Second Avenue to Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue. The residents said efforts to engage the police have not yielded positive results.
A resident, Albert Nyoni, told Southern Eye that they were no longer free and safe as a result of the commercial sex workers operating in the area.
“It appears we are surrounded by brothels. The sex workers are now invading our premises to conduct their business without our permission,” he said.
“They invade our yards and make fire within the precast walls that surround our residences. Where we plant our flowers, they step on them and even relieve themselves on them.
“The place is littered with used condoms and our school-going children are now accustomed to women roaming around naked and using condoms.”
Nyoni said they had reported the commercial sex workers to the police.
“They insult me every day for having done that and one of them told me that they will send thugs to deal with me,” he said.
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“It is no longer safe for us as residentsand we cannot enjoy our rights and freedoms.”
Nyoni said the police rarely patrol that area, a situation that has allowed the illegal practice to continue. Another resident said the sex workers remove their clothes and hang them on their properties without permission.
"In as much as they have a right to conduct their sex business, they are now infringing on other people’s rights to privacy, peace, freedom and social interaction,” he said.
“The area has become a haven of prostitutes who are harassing residents who live in the flats. Even in broad daylight, houses are being converted into brothels.”
Ward 1 councillor Josiah Mutangi confirmed receiving reports of the sex workers harassing residents, saying there has been an alarming increase in the number of the thigh vendors.
“It is true that prostitution in Bulawayo has increased. Yes, we have received reports about prostitution from those areas between First Street and Masotsha Avenues and this could be because there are no street lights there,” Mutangi said.
“As a councillor, I am pushing that there should be street lights so that it discourages such activities. At the same time, we are working with the police to remove such activities in those areas.”
He said he had also witnessed some of the sex workers’ wayward behaviour.
“Maybe it is because of the increase in divorce cases that we are seeing in our communities. But we also have programmes for these people who are into prostitution. We need to assist them so that they start projects,” the city father said.
“We put them into groups and assist them with funding so that they do projects to earn a living. So we have engaged them and we continue to do so so that they earn a living.”
Mutangi said most of the sex workers had families, some lost their husbands and need rentals and fees for their children.
