A South African woman, who ended her marriage after discovering her husband’s affair with her best friend, is demanding over $5,400 in monthly maintenance and $9,250 for new furniture. The case was brought to the Durban High Court under a Rule 43 application, seeking interim maintenance for herself and their three children until their divorce is finalized.
In her application, the wife asserted that her husband, a financially successful surgeon at Umhlanga Netcare Hospital, could afford the requested amounts. She highlighted his substantial income, ownership of a laparoscopic clinic, and his roles as a trustee of two trusts and a director of three companies. Additionally, she believes he may have invested as much as $51,000 in cryptocurrency.
Their marital home is valued at approximately $540,000, and the husband drives a car worth at least $54,000. According to court documents, the wife moved out of their home in March 2024 and is now living with her brother. She left upon learning of her husband’s affair, which seemed likely to result in a polygamous marriage.
In his response, the husband claimed his monthly earnings are just over $4,200 and that he can only afford $320 in child maintenance. He committed to covering educational, medical, and dental expenses for the children and maintaining his estranged wife’s medical aid coverage. However, he did not address the wife’s allegations and instead detailed their marital issues since 2014.
The judge noted that the husband’s arguments provided little assistance in a Rule 43 application. Consequently, the court ordered him to pay $2,950 in monthly maintenance, cover all the children’s medical and educational expenses, and pay $9,250 towards the wife’s new furniture. Additionally, he must contribute $2,200 towards his wife’s divorce fees by the end of July.
