This type of stokvel is only found in and around Tshwane. It is a soft form of prostitution in which a man and a woman, either known to each other or complete strangers, engage in a sexual transaction under the pretences of a speed "date".
It involves negotiations in which the two agree to a certain fee for spending the night together, preceded by partying or attending social functions together as a couple.
Sunday World paid a visit to the popular stokvel on Monday but its founding members and management denied the gathering was solely to help lusty men find willing partners for a fee. It was held in the village of Marokolong, Hammanskraal, north of the capital.
The men, who refused to be interviewed on record, said they established the Mavuso stokvel to boost each other financially as they were mostly start-up businessmen.
They say the stokvel, held only on Monday nights, helped them raise funds for their respective businesses as the host made profits from selling liquor and food.
As a host, a member is expected to secure a venue, provide a sound system with a DJ and make sure there are enough chairs and tables for revellers.
However, just before midnight, an announcement was made through the PA system to tell the patrons of the predetermined price for the night.
"Mavuso a kajeno ke R150. Ba ba nyakang marobalo B&B ke R250 (Today's price is R150. Those who want B&B it's R250)," a voice announced through the loudspeaker.
The announcer also informed the large crowd of mostly young women and men gathered in the large white marquee of where the next instalment of the popular social gathering was going to be held.
A woman, who did not want to be identified, told Sunday World that she preferred to attend Mavuso because it was safe for her to do so.
"Here at Mavuso everything is clear and straightforward. Once the announcement for the price has been made, then everyone knows. At other taverns, men will buy you drinks and expect you to sleep with them for free. They can even beat you up. But here, we are safe because everyone knows why they are here," she said.
A man, who only identified himself as Mingus, said he preferred to pick up women at the Mavuso stockvels because there was no risk that a woman would turn around and claim she was raped.
"Some women are very silly out there. She will agree to sleep with you and when you take her home, in the morning she would demand money out of the blue and when you don't have it, she would go to the police and claim you raped her.
"So at Mavuso, everyone knows what's going on and the stokvel management determines the fee for every Monday. They decide on the fee based on a number of factors. Today it's cheap because it's mid month and government workers are only getting paid tomorrow [Tuesday March 15].
"When it's month end, the price goes up. Around festive season, we pay even more," he said.
The man, who also refused to give his age, said the stokvel was so organised that if a man reneged on the deal in the morning, the woman could approach the management with a complaint.
"What the owners of Mavuso would do is that they would settle the bill so that the woman is happy and then deal with the culprit. They don't take nonsense because they have a reputation to protect," he said.
At the time the Sunday World team left in the early hours of Tuesday morning, more men and women were pouring into the venue while those who had been there earlier were concluding their deals.
