Zimbabwe's Queen of Prostitutes Retires After Bedding Over 4000 Men in 30 Years (Photos)

Sylvia Kandeya 

The New Zimbabwe.com has reported that a popular 55-year-old prostitute identified as Sylvia Kandeya, also known as SK, who in her 30 years years long career as a service worker, has bedded more than 4,000 men.


It was gathered that during her legendary career, SK who has decided to go on retirement, used to sleep with more than 7 men per day, but now things have changed as she is retiring, and it’s now one or two men per month.

It was also learnt that SK who is considered the godmother of all sex workers in and around the Madondo shopping centre of the MT Darwin Township, has a register of all sex workers in the area and they all pay homage to her before plying their trade there.

She has now managed to buy a stand in Mt Darwin Township, built a house and also sent her children to school. She told the New Zimbabwe news in an interview that she has sub-divided her house into several rooms where she now allows other prostitutes stay and pay her rentals.

SK and her fellow workers 

Below is her interview with New Zimbabwe News;


Word has it that you are the godmother of all sex workers and they bow before you; how far true is that?

All sex workers that come and trade here in Mt Darwin and especially here at Madondo Shopping centre pass through me and my register has more than 20 of them.


But how did you end up being so popular? 

The only work that I have done in my life is to sell sex services for close to three decades; I am 55 years now and I don’t remember the exact number of men that I have offered services but kana kuma 4 000 vanosvika (the number may be as high as 4000). On average, how many men per day or a week did you sleep with? (laughs) I used to sleep with more than 7 men per day but now things have changed; I going into retirement, it’s now one or two men per month.


Did they pay you well? 

Oh yes! Very well, I remember years back when men used to have lots of money to spare before mari ye Zimbabwe yadyiwa nemujuru (before the record breaking inflation).


And where did all that money go? 

I managed to buy a stand here in Mt Darwin Township, built a house and I also sent my children to school.


You said you have more than 20 sex workers under you; do they pay to be registered or…? 

No no no, they don’t pay me anything, but kana zviri ku fire (if business is good) they usual pay a token of appreciation. Remember, I have sub-divided my house into several rooms where they stay and pay me rentals, that’s the arrangement. Sometimes when business is low, I give them time to make money and pay later.


With the coming of young and energetic sex workers, are you able to compete with them? 

I don’t compete with them; I assist them whenever its necessary and I have opened a register to know which sex worker is at Madondo shopping centre in case something happens to them.


How active are you now in your work these days? 

With age, I now have very few clients that I serve personally and two permanent one who come for the ‘good service’.


With the current economic challenges facing the country, is sex work still paying well?

All is not well, sex workers here are even paid $1 for a quickie and $5 for the rest of the night, but long ago they used to charge between $10 and $20 a night.


This may be very sensitive it’s up to you to answer it or not, word around says you are ‘retiring’ for health reasons, how far true is that? 

Gone are the days when people would be ashamed to come out in open; it’s not a secret, yes I am HIV positive but that’s not the reason for retirement, it has to do with age.


When did you discover that you were HIV positive? 

I got tested in 2005, that’s when I discovered that I am HIV positive and since then I have been living positively and now l also educate the young sex workers the use of condoms.


Thank you very much for your time; we wish you a restful retirement. 

Thank you very much and travel well