ZIMBABWE’S ELECTIONS EXPOSED: HOW SOUTH AFRICA IS UNCOVERING THE ROT

If anyone still believed Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections were free and fair, that illusion has now been shattered. New revelations emerging from South Africa have not only confirmed the widespread irregularities — they have exposed a grand-scale operation in which the election was bought and paid for. And the evidence is damning.

At the centre of the scandal is a South African company, Ren-Form, based in Johannesburg. It was contracted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to supply election materials. But what began as a standard procurement process has now turned into a criminal investigation. South African authorities are probing Ren-Form’s involvement in what appears to be a massive money laundering scheme tied directly to Zimbabwe’s controversial elections.

Ren-Form is alleged to have colluded with Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, a figure widely known for his ties to the ruling ZANU PF party and his uncanny ability to secure lucrative state contracts. Together, Chivayo and Ren-Form are accused of siphoning millions from Zimbabwe through inflated invoices, bogus deals, and strategic payoffs to ZEC and government officials.

Investigative reports from The Sentry and Open Secrets, published by Daily Maverick, have uncovered shocking financial irregularities. For instance, Ren-Form charged ZEC R23 million for a server that should have cost just R90,000. Another invoice billed R68,700 for portable toilets — a price nearly seven times higher than the market rate. These were not accounting errors. This was brazen looting, disguised as procurement.

This theft is not only immoral — it is a betrayal of the Zimbabwean people. Every rand siphoned off in this scandal could have gone to schools, hospitals, clean water, or better infrastructure. Instead, it went into the pockets of a corrupt elite, both local and foreign, who sold out Zimbabwe’s democracy.

A leaked audio recording of Chivayo discussing the deal has further exposed the depth of the scheme. In the tape, he casually outlines how the money was to be split, using coded names to protect high-ranking beneficiaries. The implication is chilling: powerful individuals in Zimbabwean politics and institutions were knowingly complicit.

When confronted, Ren-Form’s sales director, Jean-Pierre du Sart, downplayed the accusations, referring to Chivayo as “just one of our agents” and claiming there was “nothing wrong” with the contract. But there is everything wrong with it. What transpired was not business — it was electoral manipulation, facilitated by a foreign company aiding Zimbabwe’s ruling elite in compromising the very core of democracy.

While Zimbabwe’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has announced an investigation, the public remains unconvinced. After years of performative probes and untouchable elites escaping justice, few have faith in ZACC’s willingness — or ability — to hold the powerful accountable.

This is why the South African investigation offers a glimmer of hope. With jurisdiction that extends beyond Zimbabwe’s borders and independence from ZANU PF’s influence, South African authorities might finally break the cycle of impunity.

The key question now is whether those involved — from Chivayo to the ZEC officials and all others implicated — will finally face real consequences. This is not simply about corruption; it is about the theft of an election. It is about how votes were manipulated, how democracy was monetized, and how a nation’s future was auctioned off.

This scandal has ignited outrage across Zimbabwe. Citizens are no longer just angry — they are paying attention. And now, the international community is watching too.

The time for denial is over. The truth is out. Zimbabwe’s 2023 election was bought. The looting must end. The criminals must be brought to justice. And the people must reclaim their right to choose their leaders — without price tags attached.