By Kyle Zeeman - 13 November 2018 - 15:37
Image: Daniel Born. © The Times.
Joost van der Westhuizen's estranged wife Amor Vittone has responded to a court judgment that she is only entitled to a TV set from Joost's final will‚ claiming that "blood is thicker than litigation."
The high court in Pretoria ruled on Monday that the former Springbok rugby player's 2015 will‚ which left Amor with only a TV set‚ be upheld and that she pay the legal costs relating to her application to have it overturned.
Amor argued that Joost was able to hold a pen and was able to sign the 2015 will‚ but did not do so‚ making their joint will drawn up in 2009 the only valid will. Joost's brother Pieter and his attorney Ferdinand Hartzenberg argued that he did not have the ability to sign‚ but signalled his wishes to them.
Vir Amor is Bloed dikker as litigasie Amor Vittone het dalk op los klippe vandag haar hofsaak verloor, maar haar kinders bly steeds haar rots. En vir hulle gaan sy nou appeleer tot die dood. Want bloed is dikker as litigasie. Mense is geneig om ‘n ding nie te sien soos dit is nie, maar soos hulle is. Kom ek, as ‘n buitestaande, kleur gou die prentjie vir jou in. En dan, wanneer jy die geheelbeeld sien, besluit of jy om die eerste een te gaan wees wat ‘n klip gaan optel en teruggooi. Die hooggeregshof het vandag beslis dat Amor Vittone haar saak verloor het. En om die vuur aan te blaas, was daar menige mense wat haar blameer het dat sy nie eers die moeite gedoen het om in persoon in die hofsaal te sit tydens die uitspraak nie. Indien jy dalk nie veel weet hoe ‘n hof werk nie, kom ons begin met die wit kruit op die swartbord; Eerstens, is hierdie ‘n siviele saak en nie ‘n strafsaak nie, wat beteken dat die klient se advokaat namens hom of haar in die hof argumenteer. Jy hóéf nie daar te wees nie! En, alhoewel hierdie saak vir Amor belangrik is, was dit belangriker vir haar om vandag by haar kinders te wees. Kylie en Jordan skryf eksamen. Dis bloktyd en sy het al haar aandag aan haar kinders gegee, want nie net kom hulle eerste in haar lewe nie, dis ook die rede hoekom sy tot in die hof haar vingers kaal baklei vir hulle. Plaas jouself in hierdie prentjie: Jy het twee kinders. Kylie (12) ry perd vir die SA span en gaan volgende jaar dalk aan die Olimpiese Spele deelneem. Perde, perdryklasse, toerusting ens. kom nie pasella nie. Dan, Jordan (14) wat gehoorgestremd is en spesiale tuisonderrig moet ontvang, blink uit in Sokker en is gekies as “Goalkeeper of the year” vir die Gauteng RCFOA span. Nes hul pa, uitblinkers in sport, maar nou los hul pa hul met niks. Amor (47) probeer sterk staan, maar husse het ore en dis wat haar hart erger breek. Hoekom moet haar kinders deur hierdie trauma gaan. Sy self sal nie gaan lê, maar ‘n kind bly ‘n kind en verdien nie hierdie trauma nie. Wel, wat intterressant is, is dat die Van der Westhuizens (die teenkant in die hofsaak) eerstens geen kontak met die kinders het of belangstel in hul sport en lewe nie, en nou ook ‘n hofs
A post shared by Amor Vittone (official) (@amor.vittone) on Nov 12, 2018 at 1:10pm PST
Although Amor has yet to respond to SowetanLIVE's requests for comment‚ she took to social media late on Monday evening to issue a statement.
"Amor stepped on loose stones (hit an obstacle) today after losing the court case‚ but her children remain her rock. For them‚ she is going to appeal until death. Blood is thicker than litigation.
"People don't see things for what they are‚ but rather for who they themselves are. Let me‚ as an outsider colour in the picture for you. When you have seen the whole picture then you can decide if you will be the first one to throw a stone."
She said that her children were her world and claimed she was looking after them while others were fighting it out in court.
She also hit back at criticism that she was not in court for the judgment.
"There were many people who blamed her for not being at court in person...Firstly‚ it is a civil case and not a criminal case‚ which means that the client’s advocate can represent him/her in court. You do not have to be in court. Although this case is important to Amor‚ was it more important for her children today. Kylie and Jordan were writing exams. It is exam time and she needs to give all her attention to the children‚ because‚ not only do they come first in my life‚ but‚ that is the also the reason why she will fight her fingers to bone for them."
She said she was heartbroken by the events after Joost's death and questioned why her children should go through so much trauma.
Despite requests for the original and unedited voice recording‚ allegedly between Amor Vittone and Joost Van der Westhuizen‚ to be handed over‚ ...
According to the Citizen‚ Judge Hans Fabricius slammed Amor for lacking compassion in her conduct during his judgment. He also granted an order to Joost’s brother and attorney that the 2015 will be valid and Pieter be appointed as the executor of his brother’s estate.
In a statement‚ the Van Der Westhuizen's family lawyer Ulrich Roux said the only beneficiaries of the will would be Joost's two children through Joost's J9 Trust.
Amor Vittone: I am just fighting for what was promised by Joost
Amor can write her book‚ says Joost van der Westhuizen's family
Amor Vittone receives 'threatening' mails from 'stalkers'