Truckers ‘driving sex trade’

TRUCK drivers at the Oshikango border post in northern Namibia have made the town a den of prostitution, a Swapo Member of Parliament told the National Council yesterday.

Truck drivers, said Margaret Mensah-Williams, were not only sleeping with young women selling their bodies but were also trafficking these women. She said this was not only rife at Oshikango but at towns such as Kalkrand, Mariental, Keetmanshoop and Noordoewer as well.Mensah-Williams called for the introduction of legislation to protect women.”It is bad.We need to protect our citizens,” said Mensah-Williams, adding that truck drivers were also refusing to use condoms when they slept with prostitutes.She was speaking in the National Council (NC) during discussions on a report by the NC Standing Committee on Gender, Youth and Information on consultations about HIV-AIDS Management held in the Kavango, Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Oshana regions in February and March this year.Although she applauded the committee for a job well done, Mensah-Williams was upset about some of the wording of the report – especially a part that said truck drivers view prostitutes as “food for the road”.She said this was demeaning to women.Swapo’s MP Sebastian Karupu, who motivated the report, said the “food for the road” phrase was a direct quote from one of the people surveyed.She said this was not only rife at Oshikango but at towns such as Kalkrand, Mariental, Keetmanshoop and Noordoewer as well.Mensah-Williams called for the introduction of legislation to protect women.”It is bad.We need to protect our citizens,” said Mensah-Williams, adding that truck drivers were also refusing to use condoms when they slept with prostitutes.She was speaking in the National Council (NC) during discussions on a report by the NC Standing Committee on Gender, Youth and Information on consultations about HIV-AIDS Management held in the Kavango, Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Oshana regions in February and March this year.Although she applauded the committee for a job well done, Mensah-Williams was upset about some of the wording of the report – especially a part that said truck drivers view prostitutes as “food for the road”.She said this was demeaning to women.Swapo’s MP Sebastian Karupu, who motivated the report, said the “food for the road” phrase was a direct quote from one of the people surveyed.