This is the answer given by the Head of Communication for the Provincial Office of the Police by brig. Selvy Mohlala in reply to why police are doing nothing to combat the ever growing prostitution and brothel problem in Middelburg.

In a desperate attempt to get answers about why the criminal laws, as well as the municipal bylaws of the Steve Tshwete Municipality are not being upheld, questions were sent to Capt. Khanyisile Zwane of the local police communication office, Prudence Magutle of the Steve Tshwete communication office as well as the acting station commander col Manus Oosthuizen, the office of the mayor and the provincial police communication office.

Questions raised in November last year, were once again brought up.

The police were asked the following:

• Why has nothing been done?

• Why are sex workers allowed to shamelessly conduct their business with police taking no action?

• Why are law abiding citizens being intimidated to move out of their homes to make way for criminal activities?

• Why do law abiding residents have to suffer financially and physically by losing tenants, rent and by being intimidated at the hands of people who break the law?

The Sexual Offences Act allows police to take immediate action should the suspicion of a brothel arise. All they need for search and arrest warrants are three statements.

Brig. Mohlala had the following to say:

“Firstly we need to understand that we cannot arrest a person by the virtue of the fact that he or she is on the street. Secondly you cannot arrest a person because of the (sic) dress code. The only prospects for arrest is if we found two people engaging in sexual intercourse on a public space.”

How he deems it possible to catch two people engaging in sexual intercourse when they make use of a private residence for illegal purposes, guarded by fellow sex workers and their handlers, remains a mystery.

When a crime is made easy to commit and almost impossible to prove, it is common sense to expect it to flourish, as is the case with the brothels in Meyer Street and drug dealers in general.

In response to his reply, brig. Mohlala was sent photos and videos proving the fact that these are not merely a matter of dress code or about someone being ‘on the street.’

That is when the ever predictable ‘race-card’ was pulled. Combating crime and arresting law-breakers were compared to ‘apartheid police’ as if arresting sex workers, closing down a brothel and cutting off a R90 000 per month cash flow to criminals were compared to chasing people of a certain colour out of certain suburbs at a certain time.

Or is this one of the issues, the possibility that the brothels in Middelburg and the people that complain about them are seen as ‘white’ complainants having a problem with ‘black’ neighbours.

The evasive answer is yet to be revealed.

Questions sent to the municipality about why they are not upholding the bylaws, preventing someone from advertising their business by shouting in a public place, why sex workers are allowed to loiter in public (a sidewalk is deemed a public space) for the purpose of prostitution and why the bylaw that clearly states that no one is allowed to keep a building, house or even a room as a brothel, remains unanswered.

Read previous stories here:

What was in that envolope

Video: Prostitutes ‘fight over clients’

Video – (Not for sensitive listeners): House used by prostitutes

Sex trade booming in Middelburg

Update: Victory againts prostitution

‘Everyone is buying sex’

In November, with the first email, Mrs Magutle promised meetings with shareholders and to give a substantial answer in due time. It never happened.

It seems that the municipality is content with keeping its mouth shut and its reputation in tact. When the time comes to convey to the world that Steve Tshwete Municipality have received yet another clean audit, communication channels will surely be buzzing. For now however, all is quiet on the Western Front.