PETER Ndlovu must pay maintenance for his two children after a South African magistrate last Thursday granted an interim order in favour of the Zimbabwean football legend’s ex-wife, Sharon Dee.

A magistrate cancelled an arrest warrant after the Thanda Royal Zulu striker turned himself over, before being ordered to be in court last Thursday.

Ndlovu was in court to hear a Randburg Maintenance Court magistrate rule that he should pay R5,000 (£377) monthly in maintenance until results of a paternity test demanded by the striker are known.

Ndlovu has tried to dribble past paying maintenance, claiming the children may not be his. When ordered to pay for a paternity test that he demanded, the former Coventry and Sheffield United striker pleaded POVERTY.

Results of the paternity test are expected next month. A positive match could SHAME the striker and change his relationship with the two sons he tried to disown for good.

With Sharon already indicating the R2,500 maintenance fee for each child fixed in court is too little, the court may also decide to increase the penalty.

Sharon is demanding at least R36,000 for both children (about £2,715) and R10,000 (£755) for herself. She also wants the 36-year-old former Zimbabwe captain to contribute towards her mortgage payments.

The case was postponed to next month when paternity test results are received by the court.

Ndlovu is thought to have made millions of pounds after a signing for then English Premier League side Coventry City from Highlanders in 1991. He had stints at Birmingham City, Huddersfield and Sheffield United before joining Mamelodi Sundowns in 2004 where he reportedly earned R120,000 (£9,000) monthly.

The speedy winger, capped 100 times by his country, could be relegated from the South African Premier Soccer League with his Durban-based Royals on Thursday should they fail to beat FC Cape Town in relegation/promotion play-offs.