The Midweek Sun

Sex workers irk Maun tribal leadership

- BY LAME LUCAS

Kgosi Moeti Moeti Boyei ward in Maun has raised alarm regarding the influx of illegal migrants from Zimbabwe, as most of them engage in prostituti­on and bring illicit drugs in the area. In an interview with The Midweek Sun, Kgosi Moeti said if it was back in the day when certain cultural norms were enforced, the tribal leadership could be sending Mephato (age-regiments) to deal with the sex workers.

Moeti shared how difficult it was to intervene because there seems to be local demand for their services. He said Zimbabwean­s are reportedly fleeing their country to Botswana as a result of political instabilit­y, food shortages, economic crisis, mass unemployme­nt.

According to Moeti, thousands of economic refugees are flocking to Maun in search of basic food commoditie­s and greener pastures.

“Migrant sex workers are mobile and the reason they flock to Maun is that they know it is a tourism area and therefore believe that they stand a good chance to make money from tourists.” Founder and Director of Sisonke Organisati­on, Tosh Legoreng said their organisati­on is made up of male and female sex workers, as well as migrant sex workers.

Legoreng said migrant sex workers have been coming to Botswana for years and have always been there, the challenge is that local traditiona­l and religious leaders are naïve and in denial as they refuse to receive education from organisati­ons like their regarding sex work.

“Our concern in Botswana should be that they come and make money and they leave to boost the economies of their countries and not ours. “As an organisati­on, we are advocating for the decriminal­isation of sex work in Botswana, so that it is viewed as work and not a crime,“Legoreng said.

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