A
notorious prostitute claims to have bedded more than 4000 men during her
30-year s*x work life and she has now decided to retire. Below is how
she talks about her enterprising career.
Sylvia Kandeya
The New Zimbabwe.com has reported that a popular 55-year-old
prostitute identified as Sylvia Kandeya, also known as SK, who in her 30
years years long career as a service worker, has bedded more than 4,000
men.
It was gathered that during her legendary career, SK who has
decided to go on retirement, used to sleep with more than 7 men per day,
but now things have changed as she is retiring, and it’s now one or two
men per month.
It was also learnt that SK who is considered the godmother of all
sex workers in and around the Madondo shopping centre of the MT Darwin
Township, has a register of all sex workers in the area and they all pay
homage to her before plying their trade there.
She has now managed to buy a stand in Mt Darwin Township, built a
house and also sent her children to school. She told the New Zimbabwe
news in an interview that she has sub-divided her house into several
rooms where she now allows other prostitutes stay and pay her rentals.
SK and her fellow workers
Below is her interview with New Zimbabwe News;
Word has it that you are the godmother of all sex workers and they bow before you; how far true is that?
All sex workers that come and trade here in Mt Darwin and
especially here at Madondo Shopping centre pass through me and my
register has more than 20 of them.
But how did you end up being so popular?
The only work that I have done in my life is to sell sex services
for close to three decades; I am 55 years now and I don’t remember the
exact number of men that I have offered services but kana kuma 4 000
vanosvika (the number may be as high as 4000).
On average, how many men per day or a week did you sleep with?
(laughs) I used to sleep with more than 7 men per day but now
things have changed; I going into retirement, it’s now one or two men
per month.
Did they pay you well?
Oh yes! Very well, I remember years back when men used to have lots
of money to spare before mari ye Zimbabwe yadyiwa nemujuru (before the
record breaking inflation).
And where did all that money go?
I managed to buy a stand here in Mt Darwin Township, built a house and I also sent my children to school.
You said you have more than 20 sex workers under you; do they pay to be registered or…?
No no no, they don’t pay me anything, but kana zviri ku fire (if business is good) they usual pay a token of appreciation.
Remember, I have sub-divided my house into several rooms where they
stay and pay me rentals, that’s the arrangement. Sometimes when
business is low, I give them time to make money and pay later.
With the coming of young and energetic sex workers, are you able to compete with them?
I don’t compete with them; I assist them whenever its necessary and
I have opened a register to know which sex worker is at Madondo
shopping centre in case something happens to them.
How active are you now in your work these days?
With age, I now have very few clients that I serve personally and two permanent one who come for the ‘good service’.
With the current economic challenges facing the country, is sex work still paying well?
All is not well, sex workers here are even paid $1 for a quickie
and $5 for the rest of the night, but long ago they used to charge
between $10 and $20 a night.
This may be very sensitive it’s up to you to answer it or
not, word around says you are ‘retiring’ for health reasons, how far
true is that?
Gone are the days when people would be ashamed to come out in open;
it’s not a secret, yes I am HIV positive but that’s not the reason for
retirement, it has to do with age.
When did you discover that you were HIV positive?
I got tested in 2005, that’s when I discovered that I am HIV
positive and since then I have been living positively and now l also
educate the young sex workers the use of condoms.
Thank you very much for your time; we wish you a restful retirement.
Thank you very much and travel well
