Anger over maintenance pay bungles

THE Department of Justice’s maintenance court in East London is under fire as desperate single moms accuse court clerks of bungling their child support payments.

Two parents who spoke to the Daily Dispatch alleged that the money, paid into the department’s bank account, was sometimes only transferred a month later by court clerks.

Zanele Ngece from Mdantsane’s NU16 said: “Bhuti, you should go to that office at the East London Magistrate’s Court and you will hear grievances. The room is always packed with distressed mothers wanting their outstanding money.” Some said they sometimes didn’t receive the money at all.

The Dispatch understands that the child support money is deposited into the court’s bank account and a court clerk then transfers it to the legal guardian of the child, often the mother.

Patrick Kaldini, 34, of Orange Grove, said he transferred R600 to the Komga Magistrate’s Court on December 31. The money had not reached his child’s mother 26 days later.

Kaldini said his five-year-old son was going to school without shoes because of the “mistake”.

Kaldini is a security guard who earns month.

He said he was told by a court clerk that the money was accidentally transferred into the wrong person’s bank account and that the person would be forced to pay back the money.

Kaldini claims that this was the latest excuse made by the court.

Initially he was told that the delay was caused by technical glitches on computers.

“They are sending me from pillar to post and I don’t buy the ‘ mistake’ story,” said Kaldini.

He said the mother of the child was furious and accused him of making up stories.

In an e-mailed response to the Dispatch on Thursday, justice spokesman advocate Mthunzi Mhaga explained the mix-up.

“There are two respondents with the surname Kaldini. On the day in question the official receipted both monies received from the Kaldinis to the same maintenance beneficiary as no reference number was quoted on the deposit receipt.”

Mhaga said the court only experienced computer glitches on Wednesday and they were not part of the mistake made by the official.

He said the courts would ensure the money was now paid to the correct beneficiary.

“The wrong beneficiary and the official are at the bank to withdraw money and pay to the rightful beneficiary,” he said.

He added that the maintenance office could not pick up the mistake before the respondent called to enquire.

Zanele Ngece said the maintenance court had failed her on numerous occasions.

Ngece said the father of her child deposited R1 000 on December 30 and she received it only on January 17.

“I had to borrow money to pay school fees for my child.

“The excuse they gave me was that they transferred it to a wrong ‘ Ngece’.”

Ngece said when she went to the maintenance offices on January 10 to enquire about her money, another woman told her that she last received money in October last year. R5 100 a