/ 10 July 2000

MANKAHLANA SETTLES MAINTENANCE DISPUTE

PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Parks Mankahlana has reached an undisclosed out-of-court settlement with the disgruntled mother of one of his two alleged children. His attorney, Moroampholo Tsoka, said on Monday that EC Wallace had promised to withdrawn her Nelspruit Maintenance Court suit after Mankahlana agreed to increase his R300 per month contribution towards their child. Mankahlana would have appeared in court to July 25 after Wallace instituted court action two months ago to force him to pay at least R700 per month. Tsoka stressed on Monday that the child, an 11-year-old girl, currently lives with Mankahlana in Pretoria. Her mother, who was repeatedly refused to speak publicly on the issue, lives in Nelspruit. Spokesman for Wallace’s attorneys, Jeff Jackson, confirmed the settlement. Mankahlana will however still have to travel to Mpumalanga on Monday for a paternity test at the Nelspruit Medi-Clinic after a second woman, Thalitha Mthethwa, filed for maintenance for her eight-year-old son. Mthethwa alleges Mankahlana fathered the child during a two-year relationship in the early 1990s. The Kabokweni Maintenance Court issued a warrant for Mankahlana’s arrest on June 21 after he failed to appear before a scheduled hearing to determine whether he should make any financial contributions. Mankahlana attributed the problem to mis-communication with his attorney, insisted he needed proof the child was his and appointed a new legal representative. He also agreed to undergo a court-supervised medical paternity test on July 10, but requested a postponement last week after being instructed to accompany President Thabo Mbeki on an international State visit to Togo. Tsoka stressed that Mankahlana initially requested the test be conducted last week and only agreed to a postponement to July 17 after the hospital indicated it was unable to comply at such short notice.