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Noleen Makhurane, Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO super dad who has six children in need of support appeared in court yesterday seeking an order freeing him from paying maintenance on grounds that he is no longer employed.

Leonard Dube dragged his ex-lover Nomsa Gumbo to court, pleading with her to consent that he should stop paying maintenance for their two children since he has been dismissed from work.

Dube also has four other children he supports whom he sired with another woman who he said was threatening to take him to the maintenance court.

Gumbo told the court that she knew that Dube had many children and argued that he should not have sired many children if he knew that he could not support them.

However, Dube told magistrate Sheunesu Matova that he could not afford to pay maintenance because he was fired from his job early this month.

“I’m paying maintenance for two children and I’ve four more children who don’t have a court order,” said Dube.

He told the court that his other children were in Nkayi and their mother had threatened to drag him to court for maintenance.

Dube said he was recently fired from his job as a cross border driver as his papers were not in order.

“The rand dropped and affected my plans to try and get a retest. I was getting paid R3,000 a month. That money was shared among all my children and I also have bills to pay. That salary is no longer being paid so I can’t afford to continue paying $80 for Gumbo’s two children,” he said.
In response Gumbo said Dube has the responsibility to fend for his children despite being fired from his job.

“I’m not employed and already I’m struggling to make ends meet. He’s a man and should make a plan to support his children,” she said.

Magistrate Sheunesu Matova dismissed Dube’s application. He however, reduced the child support from $80 to $40.