BULAWAYO deputy mayor Gift Banda was on Monday taken to the Maintenance Court by a former mistress with whom he sired a child. The child is now four-years-old and Banda defaulted paying maintenance for six months.
RICHARD MUPONDE SENIOR COURT REPORTER
Banda and his former mistress, Kholiwe Sitshoni, had a relationship which started in 2008 and resulted in a girl child being born out of wedlock..
Banda allegedly neglected looking after his daughter and Sitshoni took him to court in 2009 where he was ordered to pay R1 500 every month for the child’s upkeep.
After the order was granted in 2009, Banda paid maintenance, but started defaulting six months ago.
His truancy forced Sitshoni to return to court on Monday seeking an order for Banda to pay the arrears. She also applied for a variation of the initial order of 2009.
In her submission before Bulawayo magistrate Victor Mpofu, Sitshoni said: “I am applying for a garnish order against Banda who was ordered to pay R1 500 for child maintenance per month.
“He has been failing to pay consistently for the past six months despite the fact that he is the deputy mayor,” she submitted. He is in arrears of R9 000 which he acknowledges would be cleared in the next six months.
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“I am also applying for a variation of the maintenance order which was granted in 2009. I pray that the respondent (Banda) be ordered to pay school fees for the child, pay transport costs or provide transport to and from school as well as put the child on medical aid.
“The reasons for the variation are that the child is now four years old and has started her education.
“This year she is doing Grade Zero which means that her needs have now changed compared to the time when the order was granted in 2009.” After hearing both sides’ submissions, Mpofu granted Sitshoni the order she was seeking with Banda’s consent.
