Patient Sibanda, Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO teacher will take home $18 at the end of this month after settling his loan obligations and paying maintenance for his four children with different women.
Nketa Primary School teacher, Cornelius Zhou, was dragged to court by his lover, Musa Khumalo, of Emganwini suburb who was demanding $150 for the upkeep of their four-year-old son.
Zhou told the court that he was left with $68 at the end of each month due to loan deductions and maintenance payments to three other children who are getting $65 each.
He told magistrate Tinashe Tashaya that he could not afford the $150 demanded by Khumalo for the upkeep of his fourth child as it exceeded what he was getting each month.
“Your worship I offer $50 for my child. I’m not married, but I’m maintaining three other children. My net salary is $68 after Ioan deductions. I’m left with no option but to give my child $50,” he said.
The magistrate told Zhou that if he was to pay $65 for his fourth child, the same amount he was paying for each of the other three children, he would be left with $3 each month.
Tashaya acceded to the $50 offered by the primary school teacher, which means that at the end of each month, Zhou would be left with $18.
Khumalo told the court that their child was now going to school and there was need for Zhou to support him. “I need $150 for my child.
He is now attending school. Zhou is a teacher and I know he can afford. His salary is about $400 per month. I’m a maid and only realising about $100 per month,” she said.