Around six women from different areas on the cape flats, financially crippled by their ex-husbands who failed to pay maintenance for decades, received cheques from R200 to R180 000 on Wednesday. The hand-over was conducted during a briefing session by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJCD) to the community of Mitchell’s Plain where a specific focus was put on the Operation Isondlo Campaign 2015. The operation aims to locate untraced maintenance beneficiaries, trace and arrest alleged maintenance defaulters for whom warrants of arrest had been issued.

On Wednesday, the DCOD briefed the community on the successes of the Isondlo operation. According to the department’s Advocate Hishaam Mohammed, not many maintenance beneficiaries understand the importance of updating their details at the courts, therefore, money either lay dormant or defaulters are not brought to book. Either way, Mohammed believes it is the children who suffer the consequences.

“This operation is active and working throughout the year. We even have a special police task team that co-ordinates activities or go out to the communities and sought out those defaulters whom have been issued a warrant of arrest,” Mohammed explained.

At the briefing, the maintenance beneficiaries ranging from different ages said that for years, they have been in and out of court hearings for ex-spouses who do not pay their maintenance. According to Mohamed, those defaulters are brought to book because they can afford to pay maintenance but have just refused to as they have not been held accountable by law in the past.

“We can only provide the law guidelines for those care givers who fail to fulfil their responsibilities to their children. I have been out in the communities and spoke to many children who are cannot complete their education due to a lack of financial assistance from their care givers. You see them often falling prey to gangsterism or drugs,” Mohammed added.

Mercia Adonis, a mother of six children says that for eight years she and her ex-husband have been separated. However, before the separation, Adonis was a victim of domestic abuse. Now, she received a R200 from the father of her children.

“I am really happy that the department is focussing efforts to help us mothers who are in need of maintenance. While it is only R200, this money is definitely needed. I live with my mother who is really old now and we often go through tough times with little support,” Adonis said shyly.

Thirty-seven year old Samantha Hope received a cheque for just over R290 000. Through the efforts of the CJOCD, the court managed to freeze the pension funds of maintenance defaulters and granted beneficiaries money owed to them for years of simply relying on welfare.

Areas such as Phillipi, Mitchells Plain, Belville and Wynberg are among the top listed for the most defaulters. VOC (Ra’eesah Isaacs)