| Truck drivers fueling prostitution in Rutenga. BY JUSTMAN KUTYA Residents in Rutenga say that prostitution has become rife in their community as a result of truck drivers who frequent this place each time that they pass through to and fro South Africa. “All fingers point at truck drivers as the primary culprits. I tell you, these guys are a nuisance. They don`t care. They go about sleeping around with school going ages. We have carried out several surveys and interviews. So far statistics of patients coming for treatment against the majority of sexually transmitted diseases has revealed that gonyeti drivers are the chief agents of this peculiar syndrome.” Said one of the locals who is a nurse at a certain private clinic in the area. According to local reports, prostitution has become a widespread issue in the area with residents claiming that truck drivers passing through the growth point are the main contributors of the problem. These truck drivers are said to be sexually abusing young girls. They are said to take turns in sleeping with the school going ages whom they reward with sweets, biscuits and cash. Rutendo Nyamweda, a local resident, echoed the same sentiments saying that, “We are tired of seeing our young girls being lured into this lifestyle by truck drivers who pass through our growth point.” Another resident, Tinashe Chikoho articulated that, “It’s not only morally degrading but also poses a risk to the health and safety of our community. We are calling upon the authorities to take action and address the issue before it further spirals out of control and we are urging more police surveillance and much more strict enforcement of laws against solicitation and prostitution.” Said Chikoho. The residents are optimistic that their voices will be heard and concrete measures will be taken to curb the pervasiveness of prostitution in Rutenga. |