PRETORIA (Reuters)

More than 16,000 people attended a sex expo in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, this weekend, where visitors were invited to browse a wide array of sex toys, watch adult entertainment shows and attend talks by sex experts and therapists.

Under the low red lights of a large exhibition hall, everything is on display – from bondage demonstrations to kink and fetish exhibitions, strip shows, a portrait-painting penile artist, and AI companion robots that warm up to human touch.

South Africa is generally considered to be a sexually conservative country due to religious beliefs, cultural views and sexual education. Some visitors to the sex expo, an annual event, said they came because they were curious to learn more.

“(Sex) is something that people don’t want to know is happening… in a way we grew up not learning to speak freely or just explore,” said attendee Kholofelo Mukudu, 40.