Tonga - An Mpumalanga magistrate on Monday ordered that a father who failed to pay his son's maintenance money be kept in police cells for five days.
“Court orderlies please lock this man up. We will see each other on Friday to see whether you won't make some plans to pay your son's maintenance,” said senior magistrate Sam Nkuna in the Tonga Magistrate's Court, according to a report by a Sapa correspondent.
The accused, Paul Khoza, 45, of Sibayeni village, near the Swazi and Mozambican border, earlier told the court he had not paid maintenance money this year because he had a lot of debt.
“Sir, did you make these debts before this child was born or what?” asked Nkuna.
Khoza replied that he accumulated the debts after his seven-year-old son was born.
“You act like a baboon which collects everything and when you approach it; it just leaves the items and runs away without anything,” he said.
He said he would set an example with Khoza.
Nkuna further told the court that Khoza failed to pay a mere R100 per month for his son as a sign that he was willing to co-operate. He was expected to pay R350 per month.
“This is your son sir, not mine. You have to take responsibility for him,” the magistrate said.
Khoza was remanded in custody until October 17, at which point he is expected to pay some of the money owed.
Sapa