For two years Mbuso refused to support child
THE mother of the daughter of Mbuso Mandela, former president Nelson Mandela’s grandson, tried for over two years to get him to pay maintenance for his child.
The mother turned to the Johannesburg Family Court Centre to force Mbuso to foot the bill for their three-year-old daughter.
Mbuso was arrested and appeared in court a week ago, for contempt of court, after he failed to appear in court in December.
He was remanded in custody, but has since been released on bail.
“It has been very difficult supporting the baby alone. It has been a battle (getting him to support his child). This case has been on and off for more than two years,” she said.
The mother said though Mandela’s family had been supportive, she needed the father to take responsibility.
“His brother and cousins have been helping me but Mbuso is the actual father and he is the one responsible for her.
“I am not fighting. I just need the child to be supported. I feel like I am her voice and I need to take a stand for her.”
The mother expressed hope Mandela would have a change of heart.
“I believe already Mbuso’s mind is coming around and I believe the next time we come here things will be resolved,” she said.
Police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele said Mandela, who was not in custody, could have been released on bail.
The case was postponed to February 21.
This was not the first time Mandela had been in trouble with the law. In August 2015 he was arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl in Greenside, Johannesburg.
The matter was withdrawn early last year pending investigations.