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WHEN one gets married, they take vows to love each other in sickness and in health.
For Sitshengisiwe Nyathi from Bulawayo these aren’t always easy vows to keep following revelations by her husband Samuel Mudau (50) that she allegedly deserted him when he became sick.
Mudau claimed his wife Sitshengisiwe Nyathi dumped him to stay with another man in Gwanda where she is employed by Choppies Supermarket as a till operator.
Mudau, who could no longer work or properly take care of himself, then sued his wife for spousal support claiming $120 per month.
“I am of ill-health and requesting the court to order my wife Sitshengisiwe Nyathi who unceremoniously left me, to look after me. I am claiming $120 per month as spousal maintenance. This is so because from the time she left me I am not communicating with her and her phone is always unreachable.
“When I recently visited her workplace in Gwanda I was shocked when the human resources manager said I was not her husband. He said she (Sitshengisiwe) was staying with her husband whom she had transferred with from Bulawayo,” said Mudau.
He justified his claim of $120 per month saying he needed money to pay rent, buy food and medication.
In response Nyathi dismissed her husband’s claim saying he was the one who deserted her while labelling her a witch.
“I cannot offer anything because I have a lot of responsibilities. I am not permanently employed and earn $310 per month which is not enough since I am the one taking care of our three children.
“He is the one who left me to stay with his relatives saying I am a witch. I requested a transfer at work because I was now staying alone and he was also threatening to commit suicide saying I am the one who bewitched him,” responded Nyathi who also sought a protection order against her husband claiming he was abusing her.
She added: “I am also not feeling well but I have no choice but to work for our children since he could no longer work.”
Mudau, however, insisted that his wife should take care of him as their children were being looked after by his sister.
In his ruling the presiding magistrate ordered Nyathi, to pay her husband $35 per month as spousal maintenance with effect from the end of this month.
derick.khumalo