Sex workers stand against exploitation
TO MARK National Sex Worker Pride Day, a group of sex workers and activists protested outside the Mowbray police station yesterday to highlight sex workers’ struggles.
Members of the Sisonke National Sex Workers Movement in South Africa, together with Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) and Mothers for the Future were clad in black, holding flowers in remembrance of Robyn Motsumi, who died in police custody in April.
SWEAT advocacy manager Duduzile Dlamini said: “We want to highlight that her case is still pending, no one has been prosecuted and nothing has been clear as to what happened to Robyn.
“We want to say we are celebrating the pride, but what about Robyn? What about the sex workers who died? What about the sex workers who have been harassed by the police and what about the discrimination?
“The question is, why does South Africa not recognise sex workers?” she asked.
“At night, sex workers are harassed, arrested and killed.
“We are highlighting that we are human beings, we are mothers, sisters, brothers and we are working for our families,” she said.
A sex worker from Khayelitsha said that during lockdown she was almost raped and killed while working.
“Luckily, law enforcement came to my rescue. I had to work. We couldn’t stay home because we have families to feed. It is not safe to be a sex worker in South Africa.
“Most times you will think it is a
“What about the sex workers who have been harassed by the police? Duduzile Dlamini SWEAT advocacy manager
client but its a killer or a rapist. We are being violated for trying to put food on the table,” she said.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said there were no new developments in the Motsumi case.