A 24-hour online pornographic website, run from a neat house in Croydon, was uncovered by Sebenza SAPS on Tuesday.
It is believed girls were hired to undress in front of web cameras and a live feed was sent overseas.
Ten women, between the ages of 21 and 27, suspected to be prostitutes, were found at the Kliprif Street house. The girls apparently worked in day and night shifts to supply constant live material. The 10 found apparently did the day shift.The police acted on tips received from the community and their own suspicions when they went to investigate. They found a beautiful house with a pretty garden but what was inside shocked them.
Ten young women shared three bedrooms. In each bedroom, there were only a few beds and computers with web cameras.
Const Sharon Mahamba, spokesman for Sebenza SAPS, said they suspected the owner of the house was also running a brothel besides the live pornographic web site.
The house owner arrived while Kempton Express was on the scene. He explained that it was not a brothel but that clients paid to watch the girls undress. Although he has papers from SARS to legitimise his business, the papers did not state what kind of business it was. He said he sent the women’s IDs to the USA, and when approved, they hired them.
According to Mahamba the owner had no signed contracts with the women, no CVs and did not have their next of kin’s contact details. This entailed, Mahamba said, that he was also not complying with business regulations.
Mahamba said members of the community reported they had seen various men driving in and out of the premises at all hours.
An inquiry docket has been opened. An expert will now assess the situation to determine whether a brothel is indeed being run on the premises and exactly what the situation with the online pornography is.
