By Melisa Munzvandi
A headmaster at a Beitbridge school has told the court he ran away from home because of abuse including beating but has found himself back in the dock for defaulting maintenance bills.
Paul Ndlovu’s wife Susan Mudzengi is asking Provincial Magistrate Mbonisi Kaweni to order his salary be garnished for the upkeep of their four children.
Mudzengi is saying Ndlovu has not paid maintenance since 2024.
She told the court there was already an order for Ndlovu to pay 234 dollars per month, which translates to 59 dollars per child for their four children.
She said the order has not been honoured.
“Since 2024 he has not paid,” Mudzengi said.
She said she had previously reported the matter when the arrears had reached 936 dollars and she returned to court after she was told that was a recession.
Mudzengi said she had come to court to ask that the money could be deducted directly from Ndlovu’s salary.
She said Ndlovu is a headmaster under the Ministry of Education.
The court asked Mudzengi why she was claiming that her issue was suppressed when she was the one who was supposed to take up her case to the police.
Mudzengi was also asked if Ndlovu was still paying the 234 dollars and she said he was not.
“I am asking for a garnish order of the 234 dollars,” she said.
Responding, Ndlovu told the court that he was unable to pay the money.
He was once arrested and convicted and that he ran away from being abused in Beitbridge.
When asked why he was not found guilty, Ndlovu said he is a mental patient.
He told the court that he built an eight-roomed house where six out of those were rented out to pay school fees.
“I do not take a cent,” Ndlovu said.
He flees from home because his wife beats him, he said.
“I don’t go there because she beats me,” he said.
Ndlovu said his wife came to his workplace and assaulted him right after he signed the papers.
He said the issue had previously been before the Mwenezi Magistrates Court and was now in Beitbridge court.
Ndlovu made an application for rescission and a reduction of the maintenance.
The court said there was an application for rescission because judgment was made in his absence and the court was looking for the files.
Magistrate Kaweni told Ndlovu that he did not come for rescission because the records show that he did not file, and therefore the order of 234 dollars still stands.
“You did not come for recession because the records show that you did not file so order of the 234 still stands,” Magistrate Kaweni said.
Mudzengi told the court that Ndlovu should garnishee the house because she cannot rely on rentals because the house is not owned but is rent to buy, and the house is paying its debt, hence he should pay the 234 dollars.
“He should garnishee the house because I cannot rely on rentals because the house is not owned but rent to buy the house is paying its debt hence he should pay the 234,” Mudzengi said.
The court noted that Mudzengi does not have a bank account now and asked where the money would go.
It was stated that she wants 234 dollars garnished from Ndlovu’s employer and that Ndlovu gets ZiG13 000 plus a USD component of 272 dollars.
Responding, Ndlovu said he cannot pay that amount because he has medication that he has to buy and also he has a family and he wants to build.
He said in town he cannot build because of his age, so he has to build in the communal areas.
“I cannot afford that amount because I have medication Ibuy and also I have another family and I want to build,” Ndlovu said.
Ndlovu said the order was made while he was at Engutsheni Hospital.
He said Mudzengi called him for help and he pays for one child.
Magistrate Kaweni said Ndlovu gets 13 thousand ZiG plus a USD component of 272 dollars but possibly the Salary Service Bureau will not agree to pay 234 dollars.