The Sunday News
Sunday News Reporter
THE beleaguered opposition party, MDC-T has hit hard times with reports that the party is struggling to pay its workers at their provincial offices in Bulawayo amid revelations that some disgruntled security guards have turned the offices into an improvised brothel.
Workers have reportedly gone for six months without receiving their salaries.
Investigations by Sunday News revealed that prostitutes who stand by the corner of First Avenue and Fort Street in the city centre, usually use the party offices between First and Second Avenue whenever they get a “short time” client and give security guards manning the offices between $1 and $2 for a 30- minute session.
When a Sunday News crew visited the offices on Tuesday evening, disguised as seeking a “private place for short time”, the security guard who identified himself as Mr Moyo ushered them to the back of the offices, leaving them just by the back door ordering the crew to be through within 30 minutes after paying $2.
When this reporter asked whether there was any special charge to enter the actual building so as to be more comfortable, Mr Moyo claimed the only place he could provide was the backyard.
“Please don’t overstay, make it snappy. I am doing you a favour. If my bosses catch me I will be in trouble,” said Mr Moyo as he walked away.
Sunday News also managed to interview a couple of prostitutes who claimed they had been using the offices for the past couple of months revealing that the rates were cheaper compared to lodges.
“It is not a new thing, when we charge our clients we advise them that they have to pay the $2 for the offices’ backyard. At times when we feel business is high we pay between $5 and $10 in advance for the whole night.
“However, it is not only the MDC-T offices, there are quite a number of other places along Harare Road where we can get places to entertain our clients. At times we can even access passageways of these offices but it’s for a higher price.
“We used to have deals with lodges which are close to where we operate from but they are now expensive and not hygienic so we believe it is cheaper to do it in the open,” said one lady of the night who identified herself as Rebecca.
The Sunday News last Thursday managed to talk to some workers within the party’s provincial offices, who while not confirming the practice alleged that most of them were now frustrated as their salaries were not coming as frequently as they used to with some going for two months without getting their pay.
“At times we get half salaries or the salary is delayed. While I haven’t heard anything about our security guys working with prostitutes, I am not surprised because people are broke, if only we received our salaries on time it could be another story.
“The party has to realise that while we support it dearly, we also have families to feed, it is unfortunate that people out there think that we are all being well paid but the truth is we are highly frustrated,” said a worker.
Another party worker said the problem was that all payments were processed in Harare hence in most cases the provincial offices usually suffered as priority was given to the head office.
Contacted for comment, the party’s provincial spokesperson, Mr Felix Mafa, declined to comment referring all questions to the provincial chairperson, Councillor Gift Banda.
“I would rather not comment on that matter, contact the chairperson. Maybe he might give you a comment,” said Mr Mafa.
Commenting on the matter, Clr Banda said he had not been as yet informed on the delays in paying the workers’ salaries, promising to engage his secretariat to get to the bottom of the matter.
Regarding the issue of prostitutes paying to utilise the premises, he could neither confirm nor deny saying if such an act was taking place, it was only occurring within the office grounds not the actual offices.
“It’s a disappointing trend honestly which has to be investigated and if there is any truth it has to be investigated. However, these security officers do not have access to the actual offices hence I believe if it is happening it is taking place within the grounds not the actual offices,” said Clr Banda.
