Some of the girls are students from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and others are high school pupils.

One sex worker, who wanted to be known only as Celeste, said, “If I can only finish my degree then I will stop doing this. I live in a flat here in Central, and I have to pay the rent, buy groceries and taxi fare.

I don’t want to bother my parents with everything; after all they are depending on the government grant. I am a big girl; my roommate doesn’t know that I’m doing this”.

Older prostitutes are furious with these young girls.
Sweet sixteens' are taking away the customers of the veterans. Young girls charge far less than older prostitutes since they are new to the business.

Mantombi, who has been in the sex industry for 10 years, said the competition is tough with these young girls around. “I have to reduce the price from R150 to R100 per session, sometimes I even charge R50."

"Before these young girls came here, I used to have five customers a night but now three is a bonus”.

Young girls fishing bait?

Glen Dixon, manager of a Strip club, said, "we recruited more young strippers and the club was full almost every day. Most customers that come here want to see young girls on stage and they are prepared to spend more than R2000 a night."

A veteran stripper from New Brighton said, “In the past I used to dance at three venues a night, now to make money I have to stand here for the whole night in this cold. Young strippers outshined me on stage.
"
According to one prostitute (who did not want to be named), this recession has had no impact on their industry. She said that they make money everyday.

There are regular clients and new clients every second day. "Most clients want to experiment with new things and we are here for that service."

“Everyone knows that young girls are the fishing rod if you want to catch more customers”, says Konjo Mwasera a pimp who manages more than 20 sex workers in Port Elizabeth.

Source

Numsa News No 2 2010