Businessman Philip Chiyangwa says he is paying
maintenance for over 50 children. This emerged in court as Chiyangwa appealed
against a $40 000 maintenance order for two minor sons, aged 13 and 7 he has with estranged girlfriend, Pamela Rusere. The
High Court dismissed the appeal.
Chiyangwa told the High Court that he earns only $70 000 a
month. “He put his monthly earnings at a paltry $70 000 a month, while
conceding to sitting on many boards. He did not divulge the income from these
on the basis of the income being independent on dividends.
“He purported to have fathered 50 children and mentioned
some for whom he pays maintenance in very cursory terms…the record does not
show any evidence he produced in this regard apart from the names of the
mothers of the children,” said High Court judges, Justice Webster Chinamora and Emy
Tsanga in a joint decision.
“The appeal is dismissed with regards to the claim for
maintenance in the sum of $40 000 a month for the two minor children. The
appeal is partly upheld with regards to the payment of school fees directly to
the school in foreign currency in that order of the lower court is altered in
paragraph (b) to read as follows;
“The respondent be and is hereby ordered to pay termly expenses
being school fees for the minor children in the sum of R49 172.83 which shall
be deposited into Rusere’s local bank account being Standard Chartered Bank,
account number …. at the auction rate as at the day of payment.
Chiyangwa had queried why he was ordered to pay school fees
in rand for children who were supposed to be in Zimbabwe but moved to South
Africa without his knowledge. Rusere rus a small taxi business in South Africa.
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