- Former President Jacob Zuma's legal team has denied claims that he has not been paying maintenance his 14-year-old daughter.
- The former president has been taken to court by his estranged wife, Tobeka Madiba-Zuma.
- Zuma's lawyer Eric Mabuza said the decision to approach the Durban Magistrate's Court was regrettable.
Former president Jacob Zuma has hit back at claims made by his estranged wife Tobeka Madiba-Zuma that he has not been paying maintenance for his 14-year-old daughter, saying he has always looked after his family and had supported his child since she was born.
This is according to his lawyer Eric Mabuza, who denied claims that Zuma had not supported his child since he and his wife split up earlier this year.
"Ever since the child has been born the mother has not been working, and the former president has been supporting his child for the last 13 or 14 years," Mabuza said.
He said it was regrettable that the matter had reached court.
A glimpse of Tobeka Madiba Zuma, the wife of former President @PresJGZuma who has arrived in Durban Magistrate's Court for a maintenance matter. She is apparently claiming maintenance from the former President @News24 pic.twitter.com/lm4Kjb0u9Q
— Kaveel Singh (@kaveels) August 18, 2020
"We will deal with this matter with the necessary decorum and sensitivity it deserves."
Mabuza said the matter should have been resolved within the family and that Madiba-Zuma's complaints should have been handled with "the necessary decorum and respect".
Postponement
Zuma will not appear in person before a maintenance officer in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Tuesday and will be represented by advocate Nqaba Buthelezi.
Madiba-Zuma has approached the court seeking maintenance for their teenage daughter.
A maintenance officer has been appointed to sort out the dispute between the two parties.
It is understood that Zuma' s legal team would seek a postponement of the matter.
During this appearance, it is expected that Zuma’s lawyers would be asked to present his bank statements and proof of income. But that disclosure is unlikely to take place as his team would argue for a postponement.
IOL reported on Monday that Tobeka was claiming R14 000 from Zuma after they had been estranged for six months.
Earlier this year, the relationship between the former president and his third wife soured amid claims that Tobeka took sensitive SIM cards belonging to Zuma.
They have not been living together since.
News24 understands that Zuma, through his lawyers, will argue that Tobeka was maintained very well.
Mabuza would not comment on the status of the couple's marriage.