Shock In Maintenance Court As Harare Man Pledges US$2.50 per month For His Children
A Harare man left the Maintenance Court courtroom gasping in shock when he offered a measly average of US$2.50 per month for the upkeep of each of his four children. The courtroom was filled with a stunned silence as the audience tried to grapple with the sheer audacity of Jabulani Mututsa’s offer.
The man’s ex-wife, Mufaro Chiwana, had dragged him to court claiming US$280 for the upkeep of their children. She pleaded with the court to make Jabulani assist in taking care of their children. Mufaro claimed that Jabulani had been neglecting the needs of his children, and that their child in Form One had only started going to school recently after she got her salary.
Jabulani had a different story to tell. He told the court that he could only afford to pay US$10 for maintenance because his contract was due to end at the end of the month. He added that he needed to pay for the instalments of a stand he had bought, and that he had health problems that required medication. He accused Mufaro of running away from him when he was admitted to Parirenyatwa Hospital.
Mufaro, however, maintained that she left Jabulani because of his abusive conduct. She alleged that Jabulani even tried to strike her with an axe. She refuted Jabulani’s claim that he needed to pay for the instalments of a stand, arguing that the money had already been paid.
In a ruling that left both parties unsatisfied, Magistrate Ayanda Dhlamini ordered Jabulani to pay US$50 plus 50% of the children’s school fees. She advised Jabulani to find ways of taking care of his children, reminding him that it was his responsibility as a father to provide for them.
The courtroom erupted into murmurs as the ruling was made, with many wondering if justice had truly been served. Despite the outcome, one thing was certain – the drama at the Harare Maintenance Court had left everyone with much to ponder.