By Bulawayo Correspondent
THE coronavirus induced lockdown has brought brisk business for sexual performance enhancement herbs dealers in Bulawayo as more people are seen as now resorting to more intimacy than before as a way to kill time and boredom.
Dealers selling various sexual performance enhancement concoctions ranging from traditional herbs, tablets and sex coffee are now openly selling their sex accessories at places such as Leopold Takawira Street, opposite TelOne building, George Silundika avenue while others are operating from the vegetable market area.
Most of these spots are also frequented by illegal money changers.
“Since the start of the lockdown, business has been great. We have a mixture of clients ranging from young people, businesspeople, well known politicians as well as spoilt brats from the northern suburbs. They flock here for the sex coffee and tablets which they drink to improve their performance,” said a young male dealer.
The vendors say the concoction is imported from South Africa and China with the herbs often taken with soft drinks, tea or water at least an hour before sexual intercourse.
“We have female clients also coming to buy the herbs for their partners. The big people who buy these herbs testify that they find them useful.
“Some refer their colleagues to us and this is making our business thrive. On average, I take home at least US$ 50 from the sales and I cannot complain,” said another female vendor who only identified herself as Ras.
A brown tablet of Viagra is being sold for US$1 while the blue one is going for US$2 each.
The sex coffee which is packed in small green sachets is being sold for US$3 each.
“The lockdown has given me the opportunity to spend a lot of time together with my wife which has also resulted in more intimacy than before.
“To enhance my sexual pleasure, I buy these herbs. I normally prefer natural herbs than clinical medicines,” said a young father of two seen buying the herbs in a car along George Silundika street.
Another client said he does not care about the health hazards associated with the use of concoctions that are not medically approved.
He said he found himself enjoying sex more after using the herbs.
“I have heard people saying that the herbs have got some side effects, but I have never experienced any for the past five years. I have been using this as well as several different herbs,” he said.
A member of the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) Gogo Nontando Moyo said traditionally, there are concoctions that are taken by people who have problems conceiving children, but such herbs are administered only by traditionally recognised elders.
Gogo Moyo said she discourages the selling of herbs and medicines in the streets.
“Those (herbs) which you are talking about which have flooded the black market and are dangerous to people’s health because their origins are not known.
“They are exposed to direct sunlight and one does not even know where they are mixed and how. So as ZINATHA, we are saying people should not buy medicines from the streets as this may cause health complications.”
