The Johannesburg high court has ordered a husband to continue paying maintenance of R36,000 a month to his ex-wife, despite his claim that she did nit need the money as she was earning large sums as an escort.
The two have been in a bitter divorce battle since 2019.
On October 18, 2022, the court granted an order suspending the obligation of maintenance to the ex-wife after the husband submitted an affidavit stating that his former partner made between R88 000 and R153 000 per month.
The husband used a private investigator and relied on investigators reports and a set of internet advertisements to compile his application.
However, the ex-wife denied that her income from being an escort exceeds few thousand rands a month.
The wife accused the man of physical, sexual and emotional abuse. She told the court she suffered severe psychological harm as a result of his abusive conduct. He denied the allegations “and points to the fact that he has been acquitted of 20 or so assault charges pressed by Mrs VW [estranged wife] after criminal proceedings were terminated at the close of the state’s case”.
The court granted the woman an opportunity to file a financial disclosure form which would disprove claims that she was no longer in need of the maintenance payments.
On November 17, 2022, she filed papers, and according to Judge Stuart Wilson, the financial statements proved no indication that she earned a regular or substantial income from being an escort or from any other source than her ex-husband.
In his judgement, Wilson said investigators reports had not been confirmed under oath and the evidence from the husband failed to expand beyond the report and internet advertisements.
Wilson said he was reluctant to make an order that would result in the hardship of the ex-wife.
He also dismissed the husband’s application to return a car the ex-wife was using.
Source: Sowetan Live, IOL, image from Twitter: @Dispatch_DD