Times Of Swaziland: WIFE ACCUSES MAGISTRATE OF ABUSE

WIFE ACCUSES MAGISTRATE OF ABUSE
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BY TIMES REPORTER   on 17/09/2020 01:45:00


MBABANE – A woman has narrated how she allegedly suffered abuse at the hands
of her husband, who is a magistrate.
Ziphezinhle Pearl Dludlu, nee Shongwe, made the disquieting allegations in an
application where she has taken her husband, Magistrate Sihle Dludlu, to court
over the custody of their children.
In her application, Ziphezinhle, who is employed by the Ministry of Housing and
Urban Development in Mbabane, stated that they got married to each other in
terms of civil rites on March 3, 2012 at Mavuso Exhibition Centre.
She told the court that after getting married they established their matrimonial
home at the magistrate’s parental home at Coates Valley and they later moved
to Nhlambeni.
Ziphezinhle submitted that on about the year 2014, they again moved to Ngwane
Park and all along they were living as husband and wife with their two minor
children.
She alleged that sometime in 2014, their marriage relationship turned sour and
changed for the worst.
“The first respondent (Dludlu) became a complete monster and suddenly became
controlling emotionally, psychologically and physically towards me,” alleged
the applicant (Ziphezinhle).
According to the applicant, Dludlu would allegedly without reason and
provocation physically assault her in front of their children with fists and
open hands.
She further alleged that her husband would also call her unpalatable names.
“He started abusing alcohol and whenever he was drunk he would physically
assault me in front of the children.  Whenever he was angry, he would randomly
pack my clothes and bags and chase me out of the house, telling me that I should
go back home to my family. This all happened in the presence of our children,”
submitted the wife.
These are allegations contained in an affidavit whose veracity is still to be
tested in court and the magistrate is yet to file his papers.
Abuse
Ziphezinhle recounted that the alleged abuse persisted and sometime in the year
2017, he  kicked her out of their rented flat at Liqhaga Flats, in  Manzini at
about 11pm.
She claimed that she had to call a taxi which took her to a friend’s place
where she sought refuge.
She alleged that the following day she then again slept at a colleague’s place
at Nkoyoyo.
Because they were married and had children, Ziphezinhle said she always found
herself going back to Dludlu for the sake of their children as she wanted them
to be raised by both parents living under the same roof.
“On about the month of March 2019, he found me in bed crying and accused me of
crying because, according to him, one of my alleged ‘boyfriends’ had broken
up with me. I  flatly denied the truthfulness of those allegations and made it
clear that I was depressed due to the way he was treating me, which is not how
one ought to treat his wife,” alleged  Ziphezinhle.
She alleged that was when, without any warning, Dludlu packed her clothes and
took her to her aunt’s place at Ticantfwini.
“He told me to leave the children behind with him and threatened that should I
challenge him, he will make sure I will not see the children again since he was
powerful,” contended the wife.
The applicant claimed that she then moved to stay with her friend in Mbabane to
be closer to work. She recounted that for the sake of the children, she moved
back to stay with her husband at Moneni but they slept in separate bedrooms and
were never intimate with each other.
In her application, the applicant wants the court to direct the Deputy Prime
Minister’s Office to immediately investigate and compile a socio-economic
report to determine the welfare of the parties’ two minor children.
She wants the court to award her custody of the children pending compilation of
the report.