Maintenance cases up 20%

Mpumelelo Nyoni Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo Maintenance Court has recorded a 20 percent increase in cases since January this year compared to the same period last year.

Latest statistics from the Maintenance Court indicate that 2,671 women sued their lovers for maintenance between January and November this year compared to 2,231 recorded during the same period last year.

In 2012, the same court recorded 1,659 cases within the same period.

The statistics also revealed that the Maintenance Court deals with an average of 377 cases every month.

The court received 375 cases in September and 380 cases in October.

Last year, nearly 30,000 women applied for maintenance at courts countrywide.

Earlier this year, Deputy Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi attributed the high number of maintenance cases to economic reasons, a rise in infidelity and a majority of men forsaking their duty to take care of their children.

The Deputy Chief Magistrate also attributed the rise to more knowledge of the law by women.