06 Apr 2022

Police has dismissed as untrue, reports that there are brothels in Mogoditshane.

“We have come across such reports. They come from far and are unfounded,” said officer commanding district no.13, Senior Superintendent Agreement Mapeu in an interview.

A local social media platform recently alleged that a certain homestead in Mogoditshane Block 9 has been turned into a brothel, where some girls were kept for sex work against their will and authorities were doing nothing despite their knowledge.

Snr Supt Mapeu said Central Investigations Department (CID) had previously investigated the allegations but nothing concrete had been unearthed.

 He said it was common for people to come up with stories, which when investigated by the police turned out to be untrue.

 The Founder and Director of Sisonke Botswana, Ms Tosh Beka also dismissed the existence of brothels as untrue and misleading.

Sisonke is a non-governmental organisation which advocates for the welfare of sex workers and offers them free legal support, amongst others.

“Those are not brothels. They are hostels where sex workers live,” said Ms Beka.

According to Ms Beka, sex workers preferred to stay in one place to minimise issues of stigma due to the nature of their trade. The said Mogoditshane house, she said, was a hostel used by sex workers.

 “Those are our clients. No one is being kept there against their will, that would be illegal,” said Ms Beka who added that brothels were illegal in the country.

Further, she said Sisonke worked hand in hand with the police and legal advisers hence their clients would not engage in illegal trade.

She said  Sisonke  clients included male and female sex workers and transgenders whom they advocated for their rights. ENDS