By Kamini Padayachee
Frustrated Durban suburbanites have threatened to expose the men who frequent the brothels operating in their neighbourhoods.
Police Superintendent Anton Booysen, of the KwaZulu-Natal Human Trafficking, Prostitution, Pornography and Brothels task team, said: "The number of brothels in Durban seems to have decreased because of more police activity in the CBD, but it is a very profitable business so they are now appearing in residential areas."
Booysen said the secrecy surrounding the operation of brothels complicated police investigations.
"We only find out about brothels from the communities in which they operate. Then we must carry out surveillance at these places before we can do raids."
He said the task team was now serving notices on the owners of properties being used as brothels.
"Houses that are used as brothels are usually rented.
"Therefore we have been serving notice on landlords and owners, informing them that their homes are being used for illegal activities and they must evict their tenants. If the activities continue on their properties, then their houses can be forfeited to the state."
Booysen said that the police had to be cautious in approaching the brothels because some of the prostitutes could be human trafficking victims.
"Women do voluntarily work as prostitutes but sometimes, when we investigate further, we find ones who have been trafficked. These investigations can then become quite sensitive because we could be dealing with crime victims."
Community policing forums (CPFs) in Durban suburbs said residents were trying to deter the clients of prostitutes in an attempt to get the brothels out of their areas.
An advocate from the brothels task team said the clients should remember that they could be arrested and charged if caught with prostitutes.
"Once they are convicted, they will have a criminal record for using the services of a prostitute."
Umbilo CPF chairman Tony Blaunfeldt said the police raided many brothels in Glenwood, but after a while the prostitutes would return to work.
"About seven brothels were raided in the past few months," he said. "People were arrested, received fines and were soon back at work. Residents are very angry and have started putting up posters (warning off prostitutes) again."
Greenwood Park CPF chairman Grant Coka said that brothels were mushrooming there and in Glen Anil, Red Hill, Effingham and River Horse Valley.
Coka said CPF members had resorted to intimidating clients to get the prostitutes out of the area.
"We do late night patrols in the areas where we know these women are and try to scare away the clients." he said. "I also take a camera along and tell the men that I will take pictures of their cars with their number plates and publish them in newspapers for their wives to see."
Westville CPF chairman Kevin Harvey said prostitutes had pick-up points on main routes in the area. "The women usually stand at busy intersections," he said. "Police patrol in these areas but the women move away for a short time and return later. It is a difficult thing to prevent because people are creating the demand."