Online Reporter
Takudzwa Mangrozah
Herald Reporter
A Harare man has been ordered to pay US$50 in child maintenance after the court ruled that both parents share the responsibility of meeting a child’s needs.
Grace Mahachi had approached the court seeking US$100 per month in maintenance from the father of her child Peter Pinda.
She told the court that she earns about US$50 a month as a vendor, pays US$70 for rent and also supports another child from a separate relationship.
Pinda offered to pay US$30, stating that he is unemployed and looking for a job. He told the court that he lives with his mother and therefore does not pay rent. He added that his wife is expecting a child.
“I do piece jobs to survive, as I studied electrical engineering,” he said.
Mr Pinda also told the court that he has been paying medical bills since 2024 after he fell ill.
In her ruling, Magistrate Hannah Fazilahmed said it was the responsibility of both parents to cater for their child’s needs, adding that US$30 was inadequate to meet basic requirements.
Magistrate Fazilahmed ordered the respondent to pay US$50 per month in maintenance.
