Ester Mbathera
Ren-Form CC, a South African company that won a contract to print over 3.8 million ballot papers for the National Assembly and Presidential elections, has broken off ties with Wicknell Chivhayo, a Zimbabwean businessman.
Zimbabwean media and the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) highlighted the connection to Chivhayo.
They alleged corruption and maladministration in the awarding of the tender by the Electoral Commission of Namibia.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the company’s lawyers, Mathopo Attorneys, said Ren-Form has, on numerous occasions, placed on record in the public domain that the allegations of corruption and price inflation levelled against it in connection with the Zimbabwe elections are false and malicious.
The lawyers claimed that there was never any evidence to support the same claims.
“Ren-Form CC has, in reaction to these false, malicious and unsubstantiated allegations in connection with the Zimbabwe elections, pursued legal action against the individuals responsible for making the false allegation, as such allegations have caused it reputational damage and were defamatory to its directors, shareholders and employees,” reads the statement.
The law firm added that the allegations made by the PDM and published by The Namibian Newspaper are equally false, malicious, baseless and unsubstantiated.
“The alleged connection or relations between Ren-Form and Chivhayo are false. Chivhayo is neither an agent, employee, associate, or director of Ren-Form CC. Ren-Form CC did not engage in any corrupt or criminal activity to secure the award of the contract to it by the Electoral Commission of Namibia,” reads the statement.
To protect its name Ren-Form threatened to take legal action against anyone who continues to make what it terms as false, malicious, and unsubstantiated allegations against it.
“To this end, Ren-Form has instructed its legal team to pursue all available legal recourse against any organisation or individuals responsible for making the false, malicious and unsubstantiated allegations against it in connection to the award of the contract by the Electoral Commission of Namibia,” said the company.
On Tuesday PDM president McHenry Venaani accused the ECN of choosing a corrupt entity, Ren-Form, to print ballot papers.
He also accused the ECN of failing to do the ECN due diligence before the tender awarding to Ren-Form.
Venaani demanded for the contract to be retracted and for the ECN to seek a reputable firm to restore the trust of voters.
The party has however signed off on the artwork for the ballot on Tuesday.
This was confirmed in a letter by the party’s law firm, Theunissen, Louw & Partners.
“Same should, however not be misconstrued to be acceptance of the appointment of the supplier, the process in such appointment or the printing to be done by such supplier being Ren-Form. Our client still maintains its objection to the appointment of the supplier and works to be performed by it and nothing contained herein or done by our client as invited should in any manner be understood to detect from this position in its objection,” reads the letter.
The Christian Democratic Voice Party and Republican Party which also boycotted the trip to Johannesburg to view and witness the printing process, signed off on the artwork as well.
