Child Maintenance List of Allowable Expenses 2025 in South Africa

Child Maintenance List of Allowable Expenses in South Africa:

Child maintenance is one of those hard topics where parents are always looking for loopholes and opportunities to punish the other party.

On this page, we went all out to demonstrate and show what are the child maintenance list of allowable expenses that parents who are no longer staying together should pay towards their children. According to the South African Maintenance Act, children must be supported financially by both parents, whether they live under the same roof or not. This is to ensure that the child’s living conditions, education, health, and overall wellbeing are not compromised because of the breakdown in the parents’ relationship. Otherwise, it is the child who ends up paying the price.

We have listed the general child maintenance expenses to give an overview, then categorised them into monthly and yearly costs to help parents and courts understand how ongoing and once-off expenses should be handled when calculating a fair and realistic maintenance amount. Lastly, we included examples of expenses that are not recognised as legitimate child maintenance costs in South Africa.

Child Maintenance List of Allowable Expenses in South Africa

Below, you will find a breakdown of allowed general child maintenance expenses in South Africa:

1. Groceries and Personal Care
   • Food essentials
   • Personal hygiene products
   • Hair care and cosmetics
2. Utilities and Household Expenses
   • Water, electricity, gas, paraffin
   • Rates and taxes
   • Laundry and dry-cleaning
3. Household Expenditure
   • Daily lunches
   • Telephone bills
   • Payment for domestic workers and garden services
   • Short-term insurance
4. Clothing and Footwear
   • Everyday clothes and shoes
   • School uniforms
   • Sports attire
5. Transport
   • Public transport (bus, taxi, lift club)
   • Car expenses (installments, insurance, maintenance, fuel, licences, parking)
6. Educational Expenditure
   • School fees
   • Childcare (crèche, day care, after school care)
   • Study insurance
   • Books, stationery
   • Extramural activities, outings, sports
   • Other school-related expenses
7. Medical Expenditure
   • Doctor and dentist visits
   • Medication
   • Hospital expenses
   • Other medical costs
8. Insurance
   • Life insurance
   • Annuities
   • Property insurance
9. Pocket Money and Allowances
10. Leisure and Recreation
    • Holidays and entertainment
    • Subscription services like M-Net
11. Home Maintenance and Essentials
    • Maintenance and repairs
    • Household appliances
    • Kitchenware, linen, towels
    • Bicycles, bikes, scooters
12. Personal Loans Repayments
13. Security
    • Alarm system
14. Memberships and Subscriptions
15. Contributions
    • Religious
    • Charities
16. Gifts
17. TV Licence
18. Reading Material
    • Books, newspapers, periodicals
19. Furniture and Appliances
    • Lease or credit payments
20. Pet Care
    • Food
    • Veterinary services
    • Licences

Now, let’s look at what expenses are regarded as a monthly expense, in the following section.

List of Monthly Child Expenses in South Africa

Below is a list of monthly child expenses which are allowed by the South African justice system:

• Groceries and Personal Care: food essentials, hygiene products, hair care, cosmetics
• Utilities and Household Expenses: water, electricity, gas, paraffin, laundry, dry-cleaning
• Household Expenditure: daily school lunches, telephone bills, wages for domestic workers and gardeners, short-term insurance
• Clothing and Footwear: everyday clothes, casual shoes, seasonal items
• Transport: public transport fares, car instalments, insurance, fuel, maintenance, licence renewals, parking
• Education: monthly crèche/day care fees, after-school care, stationery, school outings and ongoing school-related costs
• Medical: doctor and dentist visits, over-the-counter and prescription medication
• Leisure and Entertainment: M-Net and other subscription services, low-cost local entertainment
• Pocket Money and Allowances: weekly or monthly allowance for the child
• Pet Care: food for pets
• Memberships and Subscriptions: sport clubs, cultural groups, libraries, streaming services

Yearly or Occasional Child Expenses (paid annually or only once/twice a year)

Apart from monthly child expenses, there are those expenses that occur yearly concerning a child wellbeing. Below is a list of yearly expenses you would be expected to pay for child maintenance:

• School Fees: annual or term-based tuition
• School Uniforms: replaced annually or as needed
• Sports Attire: for school or club sports (seasonal)
• Books and Study Materials: textbooks, new stationery for each school year
• Extramural Activities and Camps: school trips, sports camps, arts events
• Life Insurance: annual premiums
• Study Insurance: yearly or fixed-term cover
• Property Insurance: home contents or property-related policies
• Annuities: long-term financial planning contributions
• Home Maintenance and Essentials: larger repairs, new appliances, linen and towels
• Furniture and Appliances: leased or on credit (e.g., beds, desks, washing machines)
• Pet Care: veterinary check-ups, vaccinations, licence renewals
• Holidays and Travel: school holiday trips or family holidays
• Gifts and Charitable Contributions: birthday and festive gifts, donations to religious or charity causes
• TV Licence: annual SABC TV licence payment

What is Not Considered a Child Expense in South Africa

Although it is easy to get carried away and list every little thing as an expense, the following are not considered valid child maintenance expenses by South African maintenance courts:

• Personal expenses of the parent: This includes hair appointments, adult clothing, fuel for unrelated trips, or cellphone contracts used mainly by the parent.
• Entertainment for the parent: Subscriptions like Netflix or DStv that are primarily for the adult’s use, not the child’s.
• Debt that is not linked to the child: If the parent has credit card debt, unpaid accounts, or loans unrelated to the child’s wellbeing, these will not be accepted as part of maintenance needs.
• Gifts or support to new partners: Maintenance money may not be used to support a boyfriend, girlfriend, or new spouse of the primary caregiver.
• Luxury or status items: Branded clothes, expensive gadgets, or non-essential electronics that go far beyond the child’s basic needs.

Maintenance is meant to cover what is necessary and reasonable for raising the child — not to fund a lifestyle or offset unrelated financial burdens. Courts are fair, but they are not blind. If you are unsure, stick to what the child needs to live a safe, stable, and healthy life.

How Does Child Maintenance Court Work in South Africa?

The maintenance court of South Africa has its own way of working, which is guided by the Maintenance Act 99 of 1998 and related regulations. Understanding how the maintenance court works will help parents and children to know their rights, follow the correct procedures, and avoid unnecessary delays or frustration in the process.

Below is a step-by-step process of how maintenance court works in South Africa:

Step 1: Gather Your Supporting Documents

Before you go to court, collect all the documents that show your income and expenses. These may include:

• Your ID
• Birth certificate of the child
• Proof of your income (payslip, bank statement)
• Proof of your expenses (rent, school fees, groceries, transport, etc.)

---

Step 2: Go to the Magistrate’s Court

Visit the maintenance office at your local Magistrate’s Court (preferably where the child lives). Ask to open a maintenance case. The maintenance officer will help you fill out the application form.

---

Step 3: Submit Your Application

Once your form is completed, it will be processed, and the other parent will be summoned to appear in court on a scheduled date. The court will deliver the summons to the other parent.

---

Step 4: Attend the Maintenance Hearing

Both parents must attend the hearing. Bring your documents. The maintenance officer will assess both parties’ income and expenses. The goal is to reach a fair agreement.

---

Step 5: Court Decision or Agreement

If both parties agree on an amount, it will be made an official maintenance order. If there is no agreement, the magistrate will listen to both sides and make a ruling based on the child’s needs and the parents’ financial positions.

---

Step 6: Payment Starts

The paying parent must start making payments as per the court order. This can be done through direct deposit, garnishee order, or cash payment at court.

---

Step 7: If the Other Parent Does Not Pay

If the other parent fails to pay, you can report this to the court. The court can take action, such as:

• Garnishing wages (deducting from salary)
• Holding them in contempt of court
• Issuing a warrant of arrest
• Blacklisting their credit record

Get A Lawyer to Help you with Child Maintenance Matters

This extensive list highlights the multifaceted nature of child maintenance, covering everything from basic necessities to educational and recreational needs. It underscores the importance of planning and budgeting to ensure children are supported in every aspect of their lives.

More Sources to Consider on Child Maintenance Act

• Department of Justice – https://www.justice.gov.za
• Maintenance Act – https://www.gov.za/documents/maintenance-act-99-1998
• Legal Aid South Africa – https://www.legal-aid.co.za
• South African Law Reform Commission – https://www.justice.gov.za/salrc
• Women’s Legal Centre – https://wlce.co.za
• Law for All – https://www.lawforall.co.za
• LegalWise – https://www.legalwise.co.za/help-yourself/maintenance
• South African Human Rights Commission – https://www.sahrc.org.za
• DML Attorneys – https://www.dmllaw.co.za
• Parent24 – https://www.parent24.com