Tobeka Madiba-Zuma made a quick getaway from the Durban Magistrate's Court while surrounded by a circle of security guards yesterday, moments after her maintenance application – to support his 14-year-old daughter – against former President Jacob Zuma was adjourned.

Madiba-Zuma was the only party in court during the closed maintenance hearing. Zuma was represented by Advocate Nqaba Buthelezi. Madiba-Zuma and Zuma reportedly parted ways earlier this year.

After proceedings, the court-appointed mediator in the case, Thulasizwe Mahlobo, reportedly told TimesLIVE he couldn’t divulge too much information.

‘It was just a mediation process. We were trying to find amicable ground and I was facilitating this process. They will come back once both sides have consulted,’ he said.

Zuma’s lawyer, Eric Mabuza, reportedly said the former President wanted to deal with the matter in a sensitive way.

‘It is unfortunate the complainant took the matter to court. It could have been resolved internally. The former President wants to treat it with the necessary decorum and sensitivity.’

He said Zuma has financially supported his family for the past 13 years and would continue to maintain this support.

‘The former President wants to deal with the matter without casting aspersions on anyone's reputation,’ he is quoted as saying.

Full TimesLIVE report

Earlier, Zuma's legal team denied claims that he was not been paying maintenance for his daughter.

Mabuza said Zuma had always looked after his family and had supported his child since she was born.

According to News24, he said that since the child was born, Madiba-Zuma had not worked, and that the former President had been supporting his child for the past 13 or 14 years.

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.

Full News24 report