A 50-year-old man sought refuge at the Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) Headquarters in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday after being pursued by a prostitute demanding payment.

According to the man, the 24-year-old woman had been extorting money from him since September, accusing him of underpaying for her services.

The woman claimed the man booked a room and requested an unprotected “full house” service for R300.

After their encounter, he allegedly paid only R100, promising to return with food and the remaining amount, but never came back.

She and other sex workers later confronted him in the Verulam CBD on separate occasions, during which he reportedly paid her R50 three times.

The woman spotted him again on Wednesday and demanded the remaining R50, prompting the man to flee to RUSA HQ.

The man admitted to using the services of sex workers in the area but denied owing the woman money, claiming he only paid her previously to avoid public embarrassment.

Unable to confirm either version of events, RUSA officers mediated the situation, and the woman eventually agreed to drop the alleged debt.