The former Black Leopards player and current University of Pretoria kingpin, Nthambeleni Christopher Netshidzivhe, better known as Matari, appeared in the Vuwani Magistrate´s Court on Monday, for failing to comply with the Maintenance Act.

The Vuwani Maintenance Court issued a warrant of arrest for Netshidzivhe on November 19 (last Friday). He was supposed to be arrested before the start of the National First Division league match between the University of Pretoria against Black Leopards at the Tshifulanani Stadium. The police, however, waited until the match was over and then arrested him. He was taken to the Vuwani Police Station, and was released on bail of R2 000.

Netshidzivhe didn´t go back to Pretoria with the team and waited to appear in court on Monday.

Matari´s former girlfriend, the unemployed Ms Charmaine Nethanani of Maniini, finds it difficult to maintain their child and approached the Maintenance Court for assistance, after Netshidzivhe allegedly failed to pay maintenance for his child,Tshedza, a little boy.

The spokesperson of Vuwani SAPS W/O Elijar Malatjie confirmed that Matari was arrested on Saturday and released on R2 000 bail. When appearing in court on Monday, he apparently agreed to pay an outstanding amount of R20 000 maintenance money.

Malatjie added that the University of Pretoria Football Club had paid the outstanding maintenance money of R20 000 and that the R2 000 bail money was handed back to Netshidzivhe.

Malatjie added that the police received a tip-off that Matari would be playing in the match and decided to arrest him at the stadium.

The manager of the University of Pretoria team, Mr Kenneth Neluvhalani, said that he could not comment on the personal issues of the player. Although the police have confirmed that the club had paid the outstanding maintenance money, Neluvhalani denied that his team had paid him the amount. Neluvhalani further stated that Netshidzivhe had not been arrested, but that he was given two days off by the team.

The controversial Netshidzivhe was in hot water more than once in the past year, mainly due to disciplinary issues. He was accused of taking a friend´s car last year and smashing it. It was rumoured that the star soccer player was not sober when the incident took place. Another dent in his disciplinary record was that he had disappeared with a friend´s Toyota Venture, only to return it to the owner after several days.

When he parted ways with his former team, Black Leopards, he was allegedly accused of match-fixing during the promotional play-offs, and this forced Leopards to release him.