Teacher gets $59 pay after maintenance, loans deductions

Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A TEACHER from Tshabezi Primary School in Gwanda District will take home $59 from his monthly salary after his wife won a maintenance ruling forcing him to pay her $50 from the $109 he earns after loan deductions.
Liona Matirera of 3501 Spitzkop North in Gwanda Town told Gwanda magistrate Arafat Kozanai her husband Stanford Ruwende, a teacher, was irresponsible and had failed to support her and their five-year old child.

“We are still living together with my husband but surprisingly I don’t even know how much he earns and what he does with his salary. I now depend on his relatives for financial support,” she said. “He failed even to pay school fees for his child who is now doing Grade Zero. He is not giving us anything and we are starving.”

Matirera demanded $190 monthly maintenance but was shocked to learn that her husband’s net salary was far less than that.

She claimed $100 for herself and $90 for the child.

“Your Worship, my net salary is $109 and I would not be able to meet her demands. I took some loans last year and there are loan deductions which are still on,” said Ruwende in response.

Magistrate Kozanai ordered Ruwende to pay his wife $50 maintenance every month starting this month until the child is 18.