Wicknell Chivayo-Linked Company Supplied Faulty kits Used During SA Elections

Wicknell Chivayo-Linked Company Supplied Faulty kits Used During South Africa’s Elections

South Africans have expressed outrage on social media after it was revealed that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) awarded a major contract to Ren-Form, a company linked to controversial Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo.

Ren-Form is at the center of a corruption scandal in Zimbabwe involving a $40 million contract to provide biometric voter registration kits and materials to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating allegations of money laundering and abuse of office related to this ZEC contract.

It has now come to light that Ren-Form also secured a R566 million contract from the IEC in South Africa to supply 40,000 handheld Voter Management Devices (VMDs) at around R14,000 per device. These VMDs were meant to replace the printed voters’ roll, allowing officials to flag voters as they arrived.

However, the new VMDs did not function properly at many polling stations, prompting the IEC to hastily abandon them and revert to using the physical voters’ roll for the 2024 elections.

After the news broke that the South African company embroiled in a corruption scandal in Zimbabwe had also been awarded a major election contract in South Africa, outrage erupted on social media. South Africans accused IEC officials of corruptly awarding the tender to the Chivayo-linked company, with many calling for an investigation by the Public Protector. Here are some of the reactions:

@RSA_Broadcaster:

So someone at @IECSouthAfrica got a kickback and we got frustrated voters who turned away. @PublicProtector needs to investigate

@alekxandr_orlov:

It was a well orchestrated thieving program involving the president’s front, office of the president as well as the electoral commission top brass. Some bought Rolls Royces and Maybachs. Yet ANC endorses such a sham election!

@Someoak1:

Those devices didn’t even work in this year’s election

@Malande81347777:

And then you say elections were free and fair

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