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The Brothels of Francistown Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone) May 25, 2005 Ryder Gabathuse Francistown If the headquarters of the roaring business of commercial sex work in the city are the main streets, the branches are heavy commercial vehicles on a night stopover and brothels in estates. Besides the main streets of Haskins, Blue Jacket, Selous Avenue, Baines Avenue and others, the women of the night link up with patrons in the trucks or houses of sex in Bluetown, Area-S and Riverside. But some traditionalists are not amused by the fact that the oldest profession is booming here. Others disagree and say it is a way of earning a livelihood. In Bluetown, some of the houses abandoned by people who have relocated to other parts of the city have been turned into brothels. The surroundings tell it all. Behind one of the houses, used condoms and used toilet papers lie in a loose pile. On a hot summer day, the smell of used and discarded condoms becomes pronounced. The problem is compounded by the fact that there are no toilet facilities in the area and the FCC no longer provides services in the estate. Residents in the area strictly mind their own business. To them, having sex is not a secret. The brothels of Bluetown have generally been improvised for the lucrative business. The sex points still attract men from all walks of life. Three or four women occupy a room and they entertain clients in turns. At the end of the day, they smile their way to the shops and finally to neighbouring Zimbabwe where most of them originate. Men coming in and out of the houses know exactly where to get service. Some are even offered services on credit and pay on month-end. "At month-end, the place is even livelier as more vehicles come here and this translates into more money," says Mary (not her real name) who lives in one of the brothels. Mary and some of the women have been in the trade for years. They proudly stated that at least life is better in Botswana than in their native Zimbabwe. She claimed that they were paying rent but could not say who the landlords are. She denied that they were using the houses as brothels. "When our boyfriends visit us, it means this place is a brothel?" To Mary and her friends, life strictly revolves around selling sex. When she first came to Botswana in 2001, she tried her luck as a housemaid but the pay was not much. "At least, I am able to negotiate my salary throughout the day. Well, Batswana are generally struggling but it is better than back home. Batswana men also buy sex like hot fat cakes. Some even choose to sleep here. Yes, they pay for it." Like any other trade, prostitution has both the brighter and darker sides. Some women are bullied in the dark and their assailants violate the agreements knowing that they have nowhere to report, as the trade is illegal. In the city's dark alleys, some women consent to sex without condoms provided they get a fat pay. On a bad day, P10 or less can buy short time sex. A man wielding P50 can have sex as he pleases, with or without a condom and can have the woman the whole night. This mostly applies to low class prostitutes. Although Zimbabwean women have raided the streets of Francistown, Batswana are also in the game. Challenges of life know no boundaries. Five women who live at the Bluetown brothels told Mmegi in an interview that as long as they do not have any sign of ailments, they do not have any business worrying about knowing their status. "To access local health facilities is also expensive for the foreigners," said one. Their defence is that as long as they are in the game, they also know that their lives come first. Francistown City Council (FCC) principal housing officer, Kamogelo Chakaloba, whose department is responsible for the Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) areas, told Mmegi that she was not aware of abandoned houses that have been turned into brothels. Officer Commanding Francistown police district, Senior Superintendent Boikhutso Dintwa said that commercial sex workers keep on changing places and strategies to hide from the police. "The bottom line is that, these women are in the streets for no good reason other than selling sex," he said. He explained that so far, none of the women have been duly identified as prostitutes because it is always difficult to follow them. He blamed men for being willing patrons and helping the trade to thrive despite police efforts. He said he is not aware of abandoned houses where sex is sold. He was however aware of a place known as Mma-Machara's place, where commercial sex workers lodge for a relatively low price.