A Johannesburg brothel, which claims to be the first in the country to cater exclusively for women, has become the focus of a murder investigation following the shooting of a male prostitute.
Just weeks after the establishment's March opening, in plush Houghton, a gay sex worker was shot dead in the kitchen, allegedly in self-defence.
And industry sources said this week there was no flourishing new niche market for women, and that The House of Spartacus was no cash cow.
But the owners insisted this week they have hit the jackpot by filling a gap in the sex market, with 50 women coming through the doors between Monday and Thursday this week alone, paying anything from R250 to R700 for an hour-and-a-half, depending on the merchandise.
Two of the owners, Douglas Barnes and Martin Gabriel, said this week they would not discuss the shooting because it was the subject of a police investigation. They were co-operating with police.
A sex worker, who declined to be named, said Johannes "Colt" Maritz was effeminate and timid, not someone who invited conflict.
Apparently an argument with a man in the lounge over Colt's plan to go overseas and breach his contract was witnessed by the other hunks for hire.
The two men went into the kitchen and closed the door. Shouting was heard and then a single shot. "They tried to resuscitate Colt, but he had been shot clean in the chest and was dead," the source said.
Inspector Philemon Sathekge of the Hillbrow Murder Unit said a murder docket had been opened after Maritz was found dead with a bullet wound to the chest.
Forensic testing on a kitchen knife found near the body, allegedly used by Maritz to attack the gunman who claims he fired in self-defence, showed no trace of Maritz's fingerprints, he said.
Police are anxious to speak to more witnesses. Sathekge can be reached on 083 273 8428.
After Marie Claire magazine told its readers women could have their beef cake and eat it, the flurry of publicity spawned a rash of advertisements in the adult entertainment classified sections.
Many are placed by men working alone, often with their girlfriends' knowledge, either to help pay for their studies or to get out of financial difficulties.
Some male sex workers prefer to service male clients even though they are heterosexual because they say "women either want it all night or want to unload their problems, mostly about their husbands".
"At first we were going to open a restaurant, but then we saw how the adult entertainment business provided everything for men, but nothing for women.
"There is definitely a market out there," said Barnes.
They have 30 men on their books, including bankers, computer whizzes, students and insurance brokers, and a few porn actors and models who demand higher fees.
Their menu for Women's Day includes stripshows every two hours, adult "Tupperware" parties and one-to-one bookings.
The men's CVs, given on arrival, include photographs and vital statistics, such as penis size, cut or uncut.
Countering claims that they also cater for gay men and that some of their workers are gay, Barnes insisted it was strictly for women.
When I called the establishment and asked for a male escort, I was politely told: "Sorry bud, but we only do women."
On his staff's sexual orientation, Barnes said: "They are all heterosexual men, they would have a helluva problem if they were not and we would have had complaints."