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Angeline Mpofu Chronicle Reporter—
A Bulawayo man, fearful of being infected with HIV, is seeking a protection order against his wife whom he says pesters him for conjugal rights. Pickson Manyika pleaded with Bulawayo Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube to grant him court protection against his estranged wife.  She wants to deliberately infect him with the virus, he says.

Manyika from Mpopoma accuses his wife Senzeni Mahlangu of often trying to force herself on him since she was diagnosed with HIV six years ago.

“I was customarily married to this woman in 2004 and we were staying with her brother’s children who were HIV positive. Unfortunately when we went for testing in 2008 she was diagnosed with the virus and now she wants to infect me,” he said.

Manyika said when he confronted Mahlangu about her status she claimed she contracted the disease from the children.
“It is impossible that she got the virus from the children because it is sexually transmitted. She got it because she is unfaithful. I had no choice but to run away from her because she was violent and could have done anything to infect me,” he told the court.

He said he had no choice but to turn to the court to resolve the matter.
“I came back this year to resolve the matter with her but it seems she has become worse. She forces herself on me, insults me and at one time she threw a wooden chair at me.”

Mahlangu shot back and denied her estranged husband’s claims accusing him of infecting her with the virus.
She said: “I got the virus from him because he divorced two women before me and he has since married a fourth wife. He has also fallen in love with my niece.”

She said her husband was neglecting all her needs.
“He is now starving me.  He no longer buys food and does not take care of me,” she said.

Magistrate Dube ignored Mahlangu’s claims and granted Manyika an interim protection order.  She advised the couple to go for counseling before final judgment is passed.