Zimpapers Logo

Ms Ruth Ncube

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company board chairperson, Ms Ruth Ncube, has been taken to court by her husband who is demanding $3 800 monthly spousal maintenance.

Mr Wilson Sezi (53), who is the applicant in the matter, has filed summons at the Bulawayo magistrate’s court citing his wife Ms Ncube, as the respondent.

Mr Sezi said his monthly budget is $13 033 and seeks an order directing Ms Ncube to contribute $3 800 monthly towards his upkeep.

In papers before the court, the money that Mr Sezi wants is for groceries, transport, clothes, medication, rent, water and electricity.

Mr Sezi stated in court papers that he is not employed and wants Ms Ncube to take sole responsibility for his upkeep. Ms Ncube, through her lawyers Masiye-Moyo and Associates, has challenged the application.

In her opposing affidavit, Ms Ncube denied that she was the applicant’s spouse.

“Applicant was introduced to me sometime in January 2016 by a friend. Since I am a widow, I warmed up to the idea of having male companionship. I then met his sister and the applicant subsequently met my brother in May 2016,” she said.

Ms Ncube said Mr Sezi was asked to pay $800 to confer upon himself the status of being a customary law husband.

She said the applicant only paid $700 and undertook to settle the balance at a later date. Ms Ncube argued that culturally, Mr Sezi was not her customary husband because he did not finish paying lobola.

“In the absence of payment of the required amount in full, in our culture, there is no relationship of husband and wife that can be established. I have no legal obligation to maintain the applicant as I am not a spouse,” she said.

Ms Ncube said she parted ways with Mr Sezi after discovering that he was engaging in extramarital affairs. She said she has been battling to get Mr Sezi out of her life to an extent that she suffered severe trauma.

“Each time I told the applicant that I did not want him in my life, he would threaten to kill himself,” said Ms Ncube.

“Applicant’s monthly budget according to him is $13 033, which is what he consumes per month. Of this amount he wants me to contribute $3 800, which effectively means that he earns $9 233 per month from his own means. In terms of the law, a relief in the form of an order for maintenance is not a gateway ticket to luxurious means, but a relief to secure the basics of survival.”

Ms Ncube said she only regarded Mr Sezi as her former boyfriend. The matter will be heard on May 16 before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Sheunesu Matova.

@mashnets