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Anton and Shanika

Anton started legal action in the Local Court against his daughter Shanika. He claimed she owed him $8000 for a temporary loan he had made to her to buy a car. At court, Shanika claimed the money was a gift and she could not afford to repay it. The Local Court referred the matter to CJC for mediation.

At the mediation, father and daughter each spoke about their view of the situation. Shanika said that the money had been intended as a gift but that Anton had decided to reclaim it because he was angry she had moved in with her boyfriend Steven. She said her father had told her he would forget about the money if she moved home or if she and Steven got married. Anton denied he had said this and maintained he had lent Shanika the money so she could get to work but needed repayment.

Shanika offered to pay her father $2000, the most she said she could afford, in an effort to end the dispute. Anton agreed to withdraw his court claim and get legal advice about proving the loan before taking more action.