The Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 was enacted with the object of managing the severity of disasters, amongst other things. It was under this legislation that the country could be placed under lock-down during the Covid 19 pandemic. Under the same law, lock-down regulations were created with regards to the conduct of all persons in South Africa during that period. Failure to adhere to the regulations had dire consequences, including criminal prosecution and possibly a criminal record. The pandemic has eased, the regulations are no longer enforced and a way out for those who already acquired a criminal record under the lock-down regulations has come.

Peter had been paying child maintenance towards a child who was believed to be his. He has paid the maintenance for 11 years without a maintenance order in place. He just supported the child under the impression that he was the father. After a paternity test, Peter discovered that he is not the biological father of the child and now wants to claim all the child maintenance money back from the mother of the child. Can Peter legally claim back the child maintenance, and if so, who can he claim the child maintenance from?