Thousands of South Africans have attended the first ever sex exhibition in their country.

The Sexpo show in Johannesburg featured lingerie, sex toys and pornographic DVDs on display and attendees could also learn about pole dancing.

During the conservative apartheid era, customs officials would confiscate pornography and sometimes detain those who attempted to import it.

But after white minority rule ended in 1994, the establishment of a new liberal constitution paved the way for a booming sex industry, with many sex shops and strip clubs opening in the country.
Sexpo organiser Silas Howas said: "There's been sexuality exhibitions all around the world, from the Americas, right through to Europe, to Australia for the past decade and longer, and its about time that Sexpo came to South Africa."

Information stands were also set up at the exhibition by health advocacy groups including, the LoveLife Trust and the national HIV prevention programme for young people.

The African country has one of the world's worst Aids epidemics and it is estimated 12 per cent of its 47 million population are infected with HIV.