Cape Town -
Parents who refuse to pay child maintenance can expect a bad credit rating, if the Western Cape Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has its way.
The department, which has been targeting parents in maintenance arrears, has also traced the bulk of its top defaulters - with one man owing over R500 000 in child maintenance payments.
Eric Halvorsen ,of Constantia, Cape Town, who owes R519 459.74 in maintenance arrears, came forward and appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on December 9.
It is alleged he neglected to pay maintenance for his two children for two years.
He was convicted of being in contempt of court after he failed to appear at his previous court date, and paid a fine of R150.
He was warned to appear in court again on February 20.
According to the department, a warrant for his arrest was issued in October 2012 after he had failed to appear in court.
Halvorsen, 56, was one of the 297 prioritised maintenance defaulters the department set out to find as part of the Operation Isondlo Campaign, which is highlighted during the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.
During the period beginning on November 17, the department and its partners executed 226 warrants for defaulters, said Hishaam Mohamed, regional head of the national Department of Justice.
Ten of the departments’ top 20 alleged defaulters were brought before court during that period.
Mohamed said that to improve the system, the department had tabled the Maintenance Amendment Bill 31 of Act 99 of 1998.
It would allow maintenance officers to register defaulters’ personal details with credit rating agencies and credit providers.
Defaulters would receive a bad credit record for late and non-payments. The National Credit Regulator had come on board by making proposed amendments to the National Credit Act to ensure all credit rating agencies and providers take the payment of child maintenance into account.
Mohamed said more emphasis would be placed on “civil remedies” in the act, such as the attachments of defaulters’ pension money and other assets.
- The Star