A group of disgruntled sex workers ‘operating’ at Chachacha Business Centre outside Shurugwi Town along Beitbridge road are up in arms with a local night club owner who is refusing to hand over a generator towards whose purchase they contributed.
Sex workers said they contributed towards the purchase of the generator during the days of “normal shedding” so that the night club owner would light up the venue for revellers to have a nice time while power was off. Angry sex workers told NewZimbabwe.com that they contributed between $35 to $150 per person so that the bar owner, a Mr Ncube, could buy a small generator that would provide power for the lights and the PA system, there by attracting potential male customers to the club. But things have since changed as severe power cuts have affected their business with patrons no longer frequenting the night club because the beer is always warm.
The generator apparently cannot power the fridge and because of lengthy power cuts beer stays warm and hardly gets cold enough when power is restored. “He (Night club owner) must give us our money back or the generator because iyezvino harisisina basa (it is no longer serving its purpose) we need that money to pay rent,” said one Miriam. “He must sell and give us our money back so that we pay school fees for our kids zvadakwa zvechihure izvi, zesa yatigarisa pasi (no more business in sex work, power cuts have let us down),” Makanaka chipped in.
A bar tender “serving” in the club confirmed that sex workers contributed towards the purchase of the generator but said there was nothing he could do since the owner was in Gweru and is rarely in Chachacha. “Yes, it’s true they contributed to buy the generator for their own benefit but I can’t let them take it, the owner is the one who was involved in the ‘deal’,” said Norman. “But these women must remember that their money was just a drop in the ocean.
” The sex workers said they have since approached the local police who asked them to produce the “written agreement” which they failed to do since it was verbal between them and the owner. “The police vari kudyawo nemuridzi we bhawa (the police are being bribed by the bar owner) that’s why they don’t want to help,” said one woman. According to the locals, Chachacha derives its name from the Chachacha dancers who used to have concerts in the area during its early days. Its original name is Donga Township and the centre is a favourite drinking place for gold panners and vendors.
