Court orders abusive husband to forfeit family home and assets

BEING severely abusive towards his wife throughout their marriage has caught up with a man after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, ruled that he had forfeited all financial benefits accumulated during the marriage, including the family home.

- ZELDA VENTER

Judge Noluntu Bam ordered that the man had to transfer his half of the couple's Eersterust home into his wife's name upon divorce. If he refused to sign these documents, the Sheriff is authorised to do so on his behalf.

The parties were married in community of property in December 2000. The wife, meanwhile, issued a summons against him for a divorce and asked that he forfeit all matrimonial benefits to which he would otherwise be entitled.

In testifying about their marriage, she said she had obtained four protection orders against him over the years.

She explained how he used to stay out on Friday nights and return home during the early hours of the morning on Sundays.

On those occasions, he would rape her and call her vulgar names.