Wife wants millions from minister

Three men appeared briefly in the Klerksdorp Magistrate's Court on Monday in connection with the murder of ANC North West official Obuti Chika, the Hawks said.

Three men appeared briefly in the Klerksdorp Magistrate's Court on Monday in connection with the murder of ANC North West official Obuti Chika, the Hawks said.

Published Feb 8, 2013

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Johannesburg - The scorned wife of a senior cabinet minister is taking him to the cleaners.

She wants a house worth no less than R70 million; R3m to furnish it; a new car worth no less than R1m every five years; and R150 000 a month in maintenance.

She also wants R50 000 a month for each of their two adult children – all of which must be increased every year by the rate of inflation.

The minister currently earns R1.8m a year, or R150 000 a month. He also has considerable business interests.

The divorce proceedings are before the Johannesburg High Court at the moment. They have dragged on since October 2 last year, when the minister initially instituted proceedings.

Represented by celebrity divorce lawyer Billy Gundelfinger, the minister claimed the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

This week, the wife agreed in her answering affidavit that there was no hope of reconciling.

She claimed the minister was a bullying control freak.

“There have been problems in the marriage which the parties have been unable to resolve, including but not limited to (the minister) having subjected the (wife) to physical, verbal, mental, emotional abuse and cruelty,” the woman said in her affidavit.

The couple would have celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.

They are married in community of property, and she wants half the minister’s estate.

The wife, who describes herself in court papers as “an adult female homemaker”, accuses the minister of trying to hide his wealth from her – even though she is a trustee of the family trust.

“(He) has been controlling and secretive in relation to financial affairs. Since the formation of the family trust, and at all times thereafter, the first defendant… exercised effective control of it… He took all major decisions, with scant regard of the wishes of other trustees.”

 

Johannesburg High Court Judge Ramarumo Monama on Thursday gave the woman 10 days to supply further details of her demands.

*The parties cannot be named due to laws governing divorce in South Africa.

 

What she wants

*An order that assets of the trust (of which they are both trustees) be regarded as assets of the joint estate.

* An order directing the equal division of their assets, including the assets of the two trusts.

She also wants the minister to:

* Pay maintenance of R150 000 on the first day of each month and to increase the amount annually on the date of the anniversary of the granting of the decree of divorce at the rate of the consumer price index.

* To provide her with a home of her choice that is valued at no less than R70 million. The house has to be registered in her name.

* To pay for rates, taxes, electricity and water charges levied on the R70m property.

* To pay for home insurance and security “reasonably required”.

* To pay her a sum of R3m for household necessities for the establishment of a home.

* A car of her choice every five years, worth no less than R1m. Like the house, the car has to be registered in her name.

* To retain her, at his cost, on a comprehensive medical aid scheme and pay any excess medical, dental, hospital, surgical, ophthalmic, orthodontic and prescribed pharmaceutical expenses not covered by the medical aid.

In addition, she wants:

* R50 000 monthly maintenance per child until they are self-supporting. The amount is to be increased annually at a rate equal to the consumer price index.

* To pay for all the children’s medical expenses.

* To take care of all educational needs, including but not limited to tertiary education.

Update: Due to legal restrictions comments have been removed from this article. 

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