Do Fakes Exist? Trade and Consumption of Sex Enhancers in Harare's Avenues

Abstract

After the ban of over-the-counter sex enhancers in 2013 by the Medical Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), the streets of the inner city area of Harare called The Avenues became a haven for illegal traders in sex enhancers. This article explores how products that are banned by the state acquire their own agencies. From the traders’ perspectives, the point of departure to understanding efficacy is not the sex enhancers, but their clients’ needs and their body systems. Thus, the authenticity of the products ceases to be a point of reference. The trade and consumption of sex enhancers amongst Zimbabweans is itself intricately intertwined with the broader political economy of the country. A deteriorating economy has engendered a crisis of masculinity which has contributed towards increased trade and consumption in sex enhancers. The article argues that drug efficacy is a complex phenomenon, whose conceptualisation and manifestations are fluid and not always pharmacological. The research documents six months in The Avenues as research “field”, enriched by both online and traditional ethnographies. The analysis aims to understand perceptions of and dynamics around the efficacy of sex enhancers sold in Harare’s urban streets.