Man hires PI to prove ex-wife with cystic fibrosis can work

AN AGGRIEVED husband who was earlier ordered to pay maintenance towards his divorced wife's upkeep as she has a life-limiting illness which renders her unable to work, told the court he had a private investigator follow her and he reported that she enjoyed herself at a wrestling match.

- ZELDA VENTER

In terms of an earlier divorce order, the husband, apart from paying his now former wife half of all their joint assets, must also pay her R8000 a month until she remarries or until her death.

He must also retain her as a beneficiary on his medical aid and he is responsible for all reasonable medical expenses not covered by the medical aid.

The aggrieved husband, who claims the wife can at least work part-time to support herself, turned to the Mpumalanga High Court, sitting in Middelburg, to appeal the maintenance order.

According to the husband, he had sent the wife several advertisements for part-time jobs, which she simply ignored.

The husband said the magistrate erred in finding that the wife needed to remain on his medical aid when it was proved that the Cystic Fibrosis Unit at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital had reopened and could supply the wife with all her medication and treatments free of cost.