Overcrowding leads to sex in the open

2012-07-30 12:25

(File) (Shutterstock)

Johannesburg - Overcrowded living space in some areas of KwaZulu-Natal is forcing people to have sex in the veld or on staircases of buildings, it was reported on Monday.

Residents of Mariannridge outside Pinetown claimed their council-owned flats were so overcrowded that when they felt the urge they headed out into the veld, the Sowetan reported.

Some had even brought mattresses to avoid being pinched or nicked by spiky shrubs.

Jeanine Stanley, 28, told the newspaper that when she and her fiancé wanted to be alone the veld was the place to be.

"Having sex in the field is the life for many people here. You have to choose your spot first. People have sex everywhere, but not in the flats because there are children," Stanley was quoted as saying.

Like most people in the area Stanley's family have been sharing an overcrowded flat since 2001.

Most couples shared a flat with their in-laws, with some families sharing their two-bedroom flats with up to 17 people.

While the people of Mariannridge felt there was nothing wrong with having sex in a field, they did feel the problem could be solved if government gave them RDP houses, according to the report.

For the past three weeks the community had protested against service delivery backlogs.

Municipal spokesperson Thabo Mofokeng said the issue of overcrowding in the flats was being addressed.

- SAPA