STATEMENT BY FLOYD SHIVAMBU ON MAINTENANCE CASE:
05 November 2015
In July this year, a maintenance case was brought against me by a mother of a child born in 2012. I then requested that the case be subjected to a partenity test because the information of the birth of the child was brought to my attention more than 3 years after the child was born. In October 2015 we underwent a paternity test and the results have confirmed that the child is fathered by me.
As I said on many occasions before, I will take full responsibility in raising the child and will provide for the child's upbringing so that he grows to be a responsible adult. I will provide for the child's educational, health and other basic needs required for the child's upbringing. I currently do so with the my daughter and other children and adults, who are not my children or even relatives. I insisted on the paternity test because the existence of the child was brought to my attention through a publicity seeking stunt, which involved sending letters to Parliament, whilst other forms of direct communication were available.
Those who link the EFF's position on the Child Maintenance Bill with my personal circumstances are disingenuous. The EFF's opposition to the Bill was on the basis of the fact that the Bill enacts a law that says that defaulters of child maintenance should be blacklisted, and as a matter of principle, the EFF does not support blacklisting as a form of debt collection because it often condemns black people to permanent economic inactivity and participation. The EFF holds a view that all fathers should take care of their children and all South Africans should take care of one another, help their neighbors and everyone who needs assistance.
I will never take media interviews and queries about this matter because it is a private and personal matter, which should be treated as such. Media can write whatever they like to write, and my conscience and position are clear.
Statement issued by Floyd Shivambu in his personal capacity, 5 November 2015
