Court finds father in contempt for neglecting maintenance payments while enjoying a lavish lifestyle.
A Cape Town father who stopped paying maintenance for his two teenage daughters while continuing to fund what a judge described as a luxurious lifestyle for his new family has been found in contempt of court by the Western Cape High Court after accumulating maintenance arrears exceeding R460,000.
In a judgment delivered on 17 June 2026, Acting Judge Diane Davis ruled that the father's failure to comply with maintenance obligations contained in a 2015 divorce order was wilful and mala fide, rejecting his claim that he lacked the financial means to meet his obligations.
The case concerns two daughters, now aged 15 and 13, whose parents divorced in 2015. Under a settlement agreement that was made an order of court, the father undertook to pay maintenance of R10,000 per month per child, subject to annual increases of 8%, contribute to medical aid premiums, cover medical expenses and maintain an education policy for the children's future tertiary studies.
For nearly a decade, the father complied with the order. However, in October 2024 he informed his former wife that he could no longer afford the payments and stopped paying maintenance altogether from November 2024. He also ceased paying medical aid contributions the following month.
