Toy boys on a sugar high

The benefits of being a ‘toy boy’ with your own ‘sugar mama’ far outweigh the stigma attached to dating older women.
This is according to a growing trend of young men who are living the high life at the expense of girlfriends old enough to be their mothers.
The Courier spoke to four self confessed ‘Ben 10s’ (young men in relationships with older women nicknamed after cartoon character Ben 10), about their love affairs.
Shakaskraal’s Siya* (22) and Mdu* (23) said they did not intentionally seek older women but their sugar mamas had made the first move.
“I met Zanele* at my cousin’s wedding. She asked for my number and a week later we had dinner. At first when she told me her intentions I was shocked but after a month we started dating,” said Mdu.
He hid the new relationship from his friends until they were spotted together. This petrol station attendant said his family does not know that his girlfriend is 35 years old, and he was afraid of telling them.
“My family is very traditional and would not agree to this relationship. So I do not want to cause a rift about something that I know will not last,” said Mdu.
Mdu, Siya and Thabo* (22) said their sugar mamas, who they call ‘Nestum’ (after the baby food brand), told them from the start that they did not want long term relationships and were only looking for “a bit of fun”.
“She knows that I have a girlfriend my age but my girlfriend does not know about her. When she phones I tell my girlfriend that my aunt needs me,” said Siya.
When Siya is not driving the car his sugar mama bought him (a VW Polo) he cruises around in her BMW X5.
“I told my family that I have a part time job which pays for what they believe was a second hand car. My Nestum also pays for my designer clothes because sometimes I accompany her to functions and need to look presentable. She also pays for our holidays.”
Groutville’s Sthe* (27) said being with an older woman has helped him in many ways.
She advises him on how to look after his finances and plan for the future. Sthe has his own construction company and so does his sugar mama.
“She treats me better than my ex-girlfriends did and she is honest,” said Sthe.
Maidstone’s Gugu* (44) who admitted to dating men in their 20’s told the Courier her husband died in 2007 and she was not looking for a replacement.
“From the word go I tell my partners that I am not interested in anything long term. I am also not looking for another child so whoever it is must have a job.”
She said she was not against financially helping her partners but she also did not want someone who constantly needed looking after.
*Names have been changed to protect sources.