Death threat in maintenance row

Cynthia Dube, Court Reporter
A WOMAN from Pumula South suburb revealed in the Maintenance Court yesterday that her estranged husband strangled and threatened to kill her when she went to deliver maintenance summons.

Mdingi Matshayisa appeared in court after his wife Ms Tibalo Nsingo reported that he was not contributing to the upkeep of their two minor children.

She told the court that she was now scared to proceed with the issue as her husband strangled her the time she went to deliver the summons.

“Your worship, I wanted financial support of $290 from my husband but today I think l’m no longer interested in his money. Let us not proceed with this matter for the sake of my life. Last month, I almost died after he strangled me when I went to his workplace at Douglas Mines to deliver summons,” said Ms Nsingo.

She said her husband threatened to kill her if she proceeded with the matter.

In defence, Matshayisa told the court that he separated with his wife five years ago and he cannot afford to maintain his children.

“I can’t afford to maintain my children because they are staying with their mother who didn’t want to perform her duties for the past five years. I’ve been sleeping alone, if l touched her she gave me silly excuses until l moved out of our house to work at Douglas Mine at Inyathi,” he said.

“Some years ago l had sexual intercourse with her and later she reported to the police saying that I raped her. This woman doesn`t deserve my money and I’ve a lot of responsibilities including school fees for my other child who is at university.”

Ms Nsingo said her husband neglected her and his children for the past five years. She said he never bought food, clothes or pay rentals and school fees for their children.

She said Matshayisa was a cruel man who used to buy food for himself and not share with his children who sometimes slept without eating anything.

Mr Musiiwa ordered Matshayisa, who earns $309 per month to pay $50 maintenance for the upkeep of his two minor children aged eight and four years.

@cynthiamthembo1.