Defaulting dad faces jail over R612k child support debt
A South African father faces a 60-day suspended jail sentence for R612,000 in child maintenance arrears, accumulated since his 2018 divorce. The Free State High Court found him in contempt, highlighting a long-standing and hostile dispute with his ex-wife over their three children's support.
Why it matters
This case underscores the legal consequences of failing to meet child support obligations and the emotional toll prolonged family disputes can take, even involving court intervention and potential incarceration.
A father has been given 14 days to pay up or risk going to jail after racking up R612,000 in child maintenance arrears.
The man stopped paying child support for his three children six years ago following his divorce.
The Free State High Court found the man in contempt of court and sentenced him to 60 days in prison but suspended the sentence for two years on condition that he comply with the maintenance order.
If he fails to do so, the court has authorised a warrant for his arrest, with police ordered to take him to prison.
The judgment handed down on Thursday by acting judge Mandlenkosi Mpama lays bare the bitter relationship between the former couple, whose dispute over maintenance of their three children has been dragged through various courts for years.
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