POLITICS

"Sjambok shock for sex workers!" - Daily Sun

"Thrashed for saying 'saying no to a councillor!'" - front page lead, October 10 2014

Daily Sun (October 10 2014) - IT may have been a terrible mistake for the magoshas to refuse to bonk the councillor for free.

They said their lives, which are already difficult, have now become a living hell.

THEY LIFT THEIR DRESSES TO SHOW HOW, THEY SAY, THE COUNCILLOR BEAT THEM WITH A SJAMBOK.

When Daily Sun asked ANC councillor, Vincent Vena, whether he beat the women, he didn't admit or reject the charge.

And the allegations are serious.

The women claimed Vena poked them without condoms and refused to pay them.

About 11 sex workers from Yeoville, Joburg said when they realised they were being used they all decided not to allow him any sex. But that made the man even more angry, they said.

He vowed to kick them out of the area.

Asked if he had done this, Vena said: "This is not a suitable area for the prostitutes. There are schools in the area but the sex workers are posing half-naked in the street.

"That's why the community doesn't want them in the area."

The magoshas say there has been an increase in violence directed at them.

They say that a magosha was raped on Tuesday and another two assaulted.

"We have families to look after," said a magosha. "We send our kids to school with the money we make, just like any other mother," she said.

Asanda Khubeka (34) said she has been a magosha for eight years. She said she also suffered councillor Vena's abuse because she refused to sleep with him without a condom.

"Since January he has been walking around the streets beating us."

The magoshas said their clients are afraid to come to them because they are being attacked as well.

"Two weeks ago my mlungu client was beaten and had his car smashed," said a magosha.

"When we were still sleeping with Vena, our business was booming. We had politicians, businessmen and celebrities coming to us but they have all vanished."

The magoshas said they report their abuse to the police but they don't get any help.

Yeoville police spokesman Constable Thabo Malatji said an assault case was opened at the station and Vena was arrested but the case was withdrawn after he appeared in court once.

Vena made it clear he didn't approve of prostitution.

"It is unconstitutional and immoral," he said. "It is not only me who doesn't want them here, the whole community is against them for the sake of our children."

When asked if he demanded the women must poke him for free, he laughed.

"I don't poke magoshas," he said.

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

 

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 274 165 (Audit Bureau of Circulations 2nd Quarter 2014) and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

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