Gustav Thiel
African National Congress MP Abdul Ganie Mohammed was robbed of more than R70 000 in August 1995 at the Carousel entertainment complex outside Pretoria.
He says it was a simple case of robbery, but the prostitute and her husband who appeared in court this week on charges of robbing him claim he tried to solicit sex from her before they robbed him.
Andr Pretorius and his wife Vanessa appeared pleaded not guilty in the Pretoria Magistrates Court. They allege Mohammed was only one of hundreds of victims they robbed of more than R1-million between 1990 and 1995.
Pretorius claims that almost all prostitutes in South Africa use their profession as a front to rob their clients. We were unfortunate Mohammed laid the charges against us, but if he says he didnt try to fuck the girls, he lies.
In an affidavit to the police, Mohammed says he was gambling at the Carousel casino on August 19 1995 in the R2 machine area. I was playing the gold star machine, which displayed a jackpot value of approximately R6-million. While I was playing the machine, two girls approached me, one standing on the right and the other on the left-hand side next to me.
Another Pretoria prostitute, Theresa Howard, and Pretoriuss mother, Jacomina Pretorius, have pleaded guilty to charges that they participated in robbing Mohammed
In his affidavit, Mohammed says the women, who introduced themselves as Theresa and Lorraine, drugged his tea, which they offered to pay for, with a substance that made him faint.
Pretorius, who orchestrated the robbery, admits they spiked the drink with a muscle relaxant which they bought from an employee at the Weskoppies mental institution in Pretoria. We used this on most of our victims.
The police investigating officer, Sergeant Carel Kleynhans, told the court the four had been arrested after being monitored on video cameras at the Carousel.
A study into the activities of South Africas prostitutes confirms a prevalence of robbery by prostitutes. The woman who completed the study, and who prefers to be called Oumies, says the women earn an average of R65 000 a month from prostitution and robbery.
One prostitute, who works under the name Lorraine, earns an average of more than R250 000 a month. She commutes between Durban and Pretoria and operates from classy hotels.
Almost all her clients, as is the case with 99% of other prostitutes, are wealthy, professional, married men, says Oumies. She adds that a sizeable number of clients in Pretoria are foreign diplomatic officers.
Ive been working for eight months in Pretoria and I know diplomats really like prostitutes. I know a lot of these diplomats myself, but I cant give their names because they have become personal friends, Oumies says.
Two of her friends, both senior officers at the British embassy in Pretoria, were recently robbed of more than R200 000 in cash that they were carrying while visiting prostitutes in Church Street in Pretoria.
These men almost never lay charges, because they are married and also do not want to risk being sent back to their countries because that will ruin their careers. But you can ask the police about the diplomats preference for working girls.
She says she has documented proof of several Russian, Pakistani, Indian and American diplomats who have been robbed by prostitutes.
A representative of the Pretoria police says they cannot investigate the cases since no charges have been laid. However, he admitted to having knowledge about diplomats visiting prostitutes.
Every embassy contacted by the Mail & Guardian denied any knowledge about officials visiting prostitutes. But a diplomat at the Russian embassy said this denial is a huge cover-up. We all know that diplomats in South Africa like black prostitutes because they are exotic.
The trial against Andr and Vanessa Pretorius is proceeding.