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Nearly 4 000 men successfully applied for downward variation of maintenance they were paying last year, citing economic problems and pressure from existing relationships, a senior court official has said. Of the around 6 000 men who applied for a downward review, 3 392 got the reprieve they sought.
Some of the applicants wanted a downward variation while awaiting paternity tests.
Chief Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe said applications for downward variations had increased in recent years.
“Main reasons for downward variations included loss of employment due to company closures, reduced working hours resulting in reduced wages and some men were remarrying and now had more dependants to look after,” he said.
“Pressure from current wife was one of the many reasons why some men applied for downward variation, while some were claiming paternity tests for minors” he said. “Sometimes men are awarded custody of the child or the child would have attained 18 years of age hence there won’t be reasons for paying maintenance. Maintenance orders that are granted in default of the respondent are also subject to variation by men.”
Harare Metropolitan province accounted for more than 70 percent of the successful applications, while Matebeleland South had the least (1 percent).
Of the 4 228 men who applied in Harare, 2 511 were successful, while 41 of 66 applications in Matabeleland South were fruitful.
At least 50 men appear at the Harare Magistrates’ Civil Courts for maintenance hearings daily, according to court records. An estimated 14 000 maintenance files were opened in 2012 up from 3 040 in 2011, 2 174 in 2010 and just 427 in 2008.
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