“A Gift of Resentment”: Court Orders Woman to Repay R610,000 to Ex-Lover and His Wife

A dramatic financial dispute between former lovers has reached its climax in the Johannesburg High Court, with a judge ruling that a R610,000 payment was a loan that must be repaid, dismissing the woman’s claim that it was a “gift of affection.”

The ruling, delivered by Judge Leonie Windell on Monday, overturns a previous lower court decision and delivers a financial blow to the defendant, who must now return the substantial sum to the plaintiffsthe man she was once involved with and his wife.

A Complicated Financial Web

The case revealed a tangled web of relationships and finances. The plaintiffs are a couple married in community of property. The court heard that the husband had separated from his wife when he began a relationship with the defendant.

During this time, in 2017, two significant payments were made to the woman: R210,000 and R400,000. The couple argued that this money was transferred after she promised to repay it upon their demand. The husband has since reconciled with his wife, and together they took legal action to recover the funds.

“Objective Evidence” Trumps Emotional Claims

In her defense, the woman claimed the money was a generous gift from her then-partner, given out of affection. However, Judge Windell found this narrative did not hold up against the facts.

The judge determined that the lower court had erred in its initial ruling. She pointed to “objective documentary evidence” that proved the payments were indeed loans, repayable on demand. The judgment suggests that the woman’s claim of a “gift” was a story constructed after the relationship souredan act the ruling implicitly frames as being driven by resentment.

The decision forces the ex-lover to repay the full R610,000, bringing a costly end to a chapter that blends a broken romance with a serious financial disagreement. The ruling serves as a stark reminder that in the eyes of the law, especially when large sums are involved, documentary proof often outweighs emotional testimony.

{Source: Timeslive}

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