On the brink of hunger: ‘I sell sex and chicken feet to feed my children’

In the first part of Health-e News' "Hungry For Change" series, a Johannesburg mother of three shares her harrowing tale of selling sex and chicken feet to feed her young children. Zinzi*, aged 32, arrived in South Africa from Mozambique in 2014, hoping to leave hunger and poverty behind. However, she has been unable to work and is now forced to sell sex and street food to survive.

Her youngest child was hospitalized with severe malnutrition earlier this year, forcing her to confront the reality of her dire situation. Zinzi* has three children – two boys aged four and three, and one daughter who is one and nine months old. Tragically, her children do not receive social grants, leaving her solely responsible for their wellbeing.

Zinzi* makes R150 to R300 per day selling chicken feet, but the funds are insufficient to purchase groceries in bulk. Instead, she must buy small amounts of food, like mealie meal, tomatoes, and bread, often forcing her to share meals with her family. When times are especially tough, the family must share one plate. In a desperate bid to make ends meet, Zinzi* turned to sex work, earning R100 to R300 per session.

On months when her sex work profits are higher, she can afford to buy food the children enjoy, such as bread, eggs, and snacks. However, her attempts to provide for her children have taken a toll on her physical and mental health. Zinzi* has experienced periods of not menstruating and has struggled with anger and a desire to harm her children.

The stress has been so overwhelming that she even attempted suicide last year, fearing that her daughter would be taken away by social services. Now, Zinzi* fears that her daughter's hospitalization will result in the same fate. With no support system in place and a lack of stable income, Zinzi* urgently needs help to regain control of her life and protect her children from the harsh realities of their situation.