Times Of Swaziland: TAXI OPERATORS, SEX  WORKERS ‘JOIN FORCES’

TAXI OPERATORS, SEX  WORKERS ‘JOIN FORCES’
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BY TIMES REPORTER on 14/03/2018 01:34:00


BUHLENI – Do you want to stop ‘noisy neighbours’ from noticing that you
make use of sex workers’ services? – call a taxi driver.
As a way of hiding detection from police, sex workers are now being chauffeured
by taxi operators.
Sex work is rife in Buhleni and Pigg’s Peak due to the high number of bars.
It has been revealed that sex workers no longer need to parade near waiting
rooms or isolated corners. Parading near waiting rooms was safer for the sex
workers as police often got the impression that they were waiting for transport.
The trade, instead, continues to take place with the assistance of taxi
operators who now serve as ‘couriers’. Bars are used as the places of
contact between some taxi operators and sex workers.
According to some of the sex workers, most of their clients are respected people
who are afraid to fetch them using their own vehicles.
This also includes people afraid of ‘nosy neighbours’.
They said using a taxi makes it easier for their clients’ identities to remain
hidden.
“We feel safer than standing in the streets,” they said.
The sex workers also revealed that they often waited in the bars while taxi
operators call them.
Usual clients often call taxi drivers to ask if they can organise sex workers
for them. The taxi drivers allegedly have lists of sex workers, who they call
when a customer is in need of their services.
Once a sex worker is called, she then negotiates the fee by establishing whether
she will be required for the whole night or not.
“They have now gone professional,” said some of the taxi drivers who were
interviewed.
The recent police raids have made it almost impossible for sex workers to
operate and some complained that this was their only source of income.