admin
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A MUTARE man has been religiously paying ZWL50 as monthly maintenance for his child for the past five years despite the fact that it has been eroded by inflation over the years.
Sam Rutsate says he cannot afford to pay anything more than that.
Rutsate said this when he was dragged to Mutare Civil Court by his ex-wife, Gladys Mandiyanike, over the maintenance of their five-year-old child.
The couple appeared before Mr Xavier Chipato last week on Friday.
Mandiyanike said the ZWL50 that she is getting from Rutsate lost value in 2019.
“He gets paid in United States dollars and yet he has been giving his child money that is not even enough to buy a bundle of vegetables.
“Each time I ask him for help, he tells me to find a solution on my own, yet the child is ours. The child now need school fees and uniforms and I cannot afford all that as I am a vendor. I have been providing for this child alone all along, but the burden is now too much for me. He should chip in and support his child,” she said.
Mandiyanike said Rutsate is gainfully employed and is able to pay for the child’s upkeep.
Rutsate, however, said he only gets US$80, adding that he can only spare US$20 for his child with Mandiyanike as he has a wife and another child to take care of.
However, he failed to produce a payslip, stating that he does not get one from his employer.
“While the shop l work in might be busy, it does not mean all that money is going into my account. I am only an employee.
“My expenses include bills, transport and food for my family and I am left with nothing after meeting all those expenses. At times I give her US$10 because I also understood that the ZWL50 is no longer enough. I can only offer her US$20, but I cannot pay school fees, otherwise I will be left with nothing,” said Rutsate.
Mr Chipato ordered Rutsate to fork out US$20 as maintenance as well as US$20 for school fees every month for the five-year-old child until she reaches 18 years or becomes self-sufficient.
Online Reporter