Man refuses to maintain ‘drunkard’ wife

By Nyaradzo Bakari

A man from Bulawayo who is based in South Africa has refused to pay spousal maintenance saying his wife is a drunkard who was having an extra marital affair. Ephraim Ndlovu on Monday opposed his wife’s application for $100 spousal maintenance, saying she wanted to squander it on alcohol.

Ndlovu told Bulawayo magistrate Miss Sharon Rosemani that he was not willing to pay $100 spousal maintenance for his wife, Ms Nomaqhawe Dube, as she was a drunkard and wants to spend the money on alcohol.

“Your Worship I pay for our child’s fees and groceries. She lives in our house and has a tenant that pays rent directly to her. Of what use will spousal maintenance be to her? She is a drunkard; she will spend the money on beer. That is the reason why I saw it best to pay for our son’s fees and school groceries than give her the money,” said Ndlovu.

“The other thing is she is now in a relationship with someone else. Our families know about the new man in her life so she should just let him maintain her and not demand money from me.”

Ms Dube dismissed the allegations, saying she was not cheating on her husband. She also said she needed money to use during monthly visits to their son’s boarding school.

The magistrate told Ndlovu that paying spousal maintenance was his obligation as they were still legally married.

“I have to remind you that you are obliged to pay spousal maintenance so there is no excuse on that one because you two are still legally married. You can only ask for a variation downwards, giving reasons for that. She is entitled to this maintenance so she has to get it but now how much she gets is what we can discuss,” she said.

Miss Rosemani ordered Ndlovu to pay $25 spousal maintenance a month.

“Your advantage is that you pay fees for your child, you have provided accommodation for her. So she benefits from you paying fees and buying groceries and the accommodation. The applicant is young enough to take care of herself hence she has to make a contribution to her own upkeep. She does not need as much as $100, so you will pay $25 every month with effect from this month,” she said.  The Chronicle