Couple booted from 'porn pad'

For months, a Durban couple presented the facade of ordinary South Africans struggling to find work. But when their neighbours were away at work their small flat in Phoenix, north of Durban, was allegedly transformed into a pornographic movie studio.

Neighbours had noticed beautiful women, some "as young as schoolgirls", arriving at the flats complex.

"At first I was not suspicious because the couple had both lost their jobs and I assumed they had a lot of visitors because people were concerned.

"The man worked in a factory and his wife was a receptionist.

"We believed that they were just an ordinary couple and we felt really sorry for them when they lost their jobs," a neighbour said.

Housewives in the complex then began to notice the playing of loud music that would start at 9am each day.

"I thought it was very strange. It was the type of music that was played to drown out other sounds," one of the women said.

Six months later, claim the housewives, they discovered that the couple were filming pornographic movies in the flat and that the films were sold at a local shopping centre and to unlicensed distributors.

"We used to question how it was possible for the couple to pay their rent, buy food and dress well without an income but we did not really investigate.

"We only came to know about it when the schoolboys in the area were talking about it. Apparently, someone had boasted to them about the films being made in the flat," one woman, who wished to be anonymous, said.

A neighbour complained to the landlords, Woodglaze Properties, and the couple were evicted last month.

"We confirm such a complaint and legal action has been taken against the tenant," Woodglaze spokesman Pravesh Inderjeeth said.

Film and Publication Board spokesman Prince Mlimandlela Ndamase said only licensed distributors could sell or distribute pornographic material in line with the requirements of the law.

Distributors are required to register and pay fees.