A woman who was certain she was going to get big bucks from her daughter for maintenance left the courtroom empty-handed earlier this year.

Two women who claimed to be friends of the mother said they were shocked when she told them she was taking her daughter to court for maintenance.

The women were obviously happy their friend did not get a cent because they felt she was lazy and did not want to work.

According to the women, their friend is 44 years old, and although she has been offered several jobs and encouraged to work, she refuses to do so.

jobless man

"Now this woman does not work and she has a man who is about five years younger than her and he does not work either," one of the women said.

"The daughter, who is 24, got a job last year as a secretary and can you imagine, just a few months after she got the job, her mother took her to court for maintenance?" the women disclosed.

"The said thing is when the daughter was 16 years old, the mother sent her to live with a relative and was not responsible for her. The relative sent her to school and now the daughter is working, she wants to cash in on her earnings," the other woman said.

"I was very doubtful she would get any maintenance because she is a strong, healthy woman who does not want to work and I am glad the judge threw out the case and she did not get her daughter's money to support her lover," she said.

A man who overheard the conversation between the two women agreed the woman and her lover should get jobs and leave the young girl to live her life in peace. According to the man, he knows that under the law, children should support their parents but that mother is now in a position to work and take care of herself.

Although the Maintenance Act makes provision for children to maintain their parents, there are cases in which some parents will not be successful in getting a maintenance order. It appears the mother is not old, is in good health and capable of working to provide for herself.

Section 10 of the act states a person who is not a minor has an obligation to maintain his or her parents and grandparents once the person is 'capable' to maintain them. However, the act states further that "the court shall have regard whether, by reason of age or infirmity, that dependant is unable to provide for himself or herself".

The women were obviously happy their friend did not get a cent because they felt she was lazy and did not want to work.

According to the women, their friend is 44 years old, and although she has been offered several jobs and encouraged to work, she refuses to do so.