Africa-Press – Eswatini. The number of parents who fail to maintain their children has increased by close to 80 per cent when compared to last year.
This is according to the Deputy Prime Minister’s office Annual Report for the year 2022/2023. The office reported that during the annual review, 3 264 cases were reported, of which 2447 were resolved.
At least 340 were referred to the Magistrate Courts due to defaulting on maintenance payments, failure to attend mediation sessions, or not agreeing on the maintenance amount to be paid and 477 cases are being worked on.
The office reported that a high default rate in maintenance payments has been observed compared to the previous year, where 1 825 maintenance cases were recorded, which is attributed to the prevailing economic circumstances facing the country due to layoffs and retrenchments.
“In addition, the seasonal nature of some employment terms results in massive layoffs due to the temporary nature of the work, particularly in the sugar belt and citrus growing areas,” the report states.
The office reported that it received 58 abandoned children which include newborns who were placed in various places of safety around the country.
An increase was also seen compared to the previous year when 39 abandoned children were received. The increase is attributed to economic shocks, substance abuse by the parents, fathers denying paternity of the children and unplanned pregnancies.
The report further states that the office received 114 custody and guardianship cases from the courts to conduct socio-economic reports.
Out of the 114 cases, 39 have been completed and referred to the courts for finalization. The delay in completing some of the cases is attributed to the shortage of transport, inadequate information of the parties, and sensitivity of the cases.
An increase was also witnessed as 100 cases were received last year.
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