The Department of Justice’s Maintenance Court in East London is under fire as single mothers accuse court clerks of bungling their child support payments. The Daily Dispatch says it understands that the child support money is deposited into the court’s bank account and a court clerk then transfers it to the legal guardian of the child, often the mother.

Patrick Kaldini (34) said he transferred R600 to the Komga Magistrate’s Court on 31 December. The money had not reached his child’s mother 26 days later. He said he was told by a court clerk that the money was accidentally transferred into the wrong person’s bank account and that the person would be forced to pay back the money.

Kaldini claims that this was the latest excuse made by the court. Initially he was told that the delay was caused by technical glitches on computers. Zanele Ngece said the maintenance court had failed her on numerous occasions. Ngece said the father of her child deposited R1 000 on 30 December and she received it only on 17 January.

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