A LEADING sex worker human rights organisation has raised the alarm over a "devastating" condom shortage at one of its Cape Town branches, saying prostitutes now need to spend 70% of their monthly income on condoms.
The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat) told Weekend Argus that its condom stock was depleted.
"We don't have condoms to give to them," said Sweat's Constance Mathe, adding that "they now need to go and buy from retailers, and I'll have you know that condoms are very expensive“.
Mathe said the organisation was also concerned about police "thinking they're entitled to" confiscate condoms from sex workers, as it’s still illegal.
"They buy in bulk, as it works out cheaper, but then if the LEAP officers see them with a vast amount of condoms, they say that's evidence that they're sex workers and then confiscate those condoms. Our sex workers leave home for work in the morning and return with a loaf of bread and condoms, and if the police take their condoms, they'll just return with the bread," Mathe told Weekend Argus.
In response to Mathe’s claims, the MEC for Police and Community Safety’s office said the primary goal for their LEAP officers was to assist in reducing the murder rate and that their officers were not deployed to Observatory or the CBD as these areas were not classified as murder hotspots.
The Western Cape department of health told Weekend Argus that it participates in the national contract for the supply and delivery of male and female condoms and lubricants to the state facilities.
According to the contract, seen by Weekend Argus, it's valid until February 2025. The contract makes provision for a variety of condoms.
Male condoms are procured in bulk from the identified suppliers and are costed accordingly. The cost of male condoms ranges from R90.26 to R138.11 per pack of 200. This equates to an average cost of 45c to 69c per male condom.
Female condoms are procured as single units and are costed accordingly per supplier. The cost range for female condoms range from R7.60 to R9.06.
Through the contract, the state procures 100 million vanilla-scented male condoms from 12 different suppliers every year.
The state also procures 220m grape-scented male condoms, as well as 240m banana-flavoured male condoms. Only 20m strawberry, vanilla and caramel-scented female condoms are ordered.
A nurse at the state hospital in Citrusdal, who cannot be named as they cannot speak to media, said there was no shortage of condoms at their facility.
"There are even counsellors here who do prevention sessions with the patients before they hand out the condoms. And they receive two or more packs of condoms."
Another nurse at the Worcester provincial hospital said they had experienced a "massive shortage" of condoms.
"I only saw four packs of condoms in the maternity ward, the doctors also don't recommend condoms as a contraceptive method," said the nurse.
"They only recommend Petogen (a female hormone that is used to prevent pregnancy) and other contraceptive methods, except condoms ... the education curriculum also doesn't educate learners about condoms, which is concerning," said the nurse.
Spokesperson for the provincial department of health Byron la Hoe said there was no shortage in the Western Cape and that facilities should inform them if their stock needed to be replenished.
The department makes yearly deliveries to all its facilities as well as public offices and conducts annual audits to determine how much stock a particular facility may require.
Mathe also welcomed the fact that sex workers could soon ply their trade without fear of being arrested as the government seeks ways to mitigate gender-based violence in the industry.
The Cabinet signed off on public comments for an amendment bill that seeks to decriminalise prostitution in South Africa.
The bill seeks to respond to several proposals from the national strategic plan on gender-based violence and femicide. Once passed into law, it will among other things protect sex workers against abuse and exploitation.
Weekend Argus