'You damaged my name'
2005-05-11 08:42
Johannesburg - He wants to leave a legacy of moral honesty and dignity for all, former president Nelson Mandela said in documents submitted to court this week.
"The illegal actions of Ayob and Calder are harming this legacy I would like to create. I am suffering damages and will continue to suffer immeasurable damage to my name and reputation."
This is why Mandela, 86, is taking his long-time confidant, Ismail Ayob, and his business partner, Ross Calder, and their companies to court.
Urgent application
A sworn statement of 91 pages by Mandela was submitted to the Johannesburg court on Monday along with an urgent application.
Mandela is demanding that Ayob, his confidant and legal advisor of about 30 years, Ayob's wife, Zamila Ayob, Calder, who markets Mandela's artworks, and five companies that belong to the three, give account of the income they allegedly generated from his artworks.
Mandela is accusing Ayob and Calder of selling lithographs of his original artworks with forged signatures. He claims copies of his autobiography, Long walk to freedom, with his forged signature inside, were sold without his permission at R33 000 each.
Mandela demands that Calder, Ayob and their companies immediately stop marketing and selling artworks with his name on it and that they stop using his "name and reputation" in their business.
Artworks that were allegedly signed by Mandela are apparently still being marketed on Calder's website.
The former president is also demanding that the Ayobs be dismissed summarily from their positions as trustees of the Nelson Mandela Trust, which administers the sale of his artworks and channels proceeds to the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
Deception must stop immediately
"My name and reputation have been and are still being harmed by the damaging and illegal activities (of the defendants) - the progress that has been made by the foundation, children's fund and other charity organisations, will be in vain if the actions of Calder, Ayob and the companies under their control do not cease summarily.
"Unless the grand scale and widespread deception stops immediately, innocent members of the public will continue to be misled and defrauded."
The statement said disadvantaged groups in the community would also suffer "serious damages" if the foundation and children's fund can no longer rely on Mandela's "name and reputation" to secure funds.
"Regarding my age, I want to ensure that my affairs are in order and that my last will and testament comprehensively and properly protect all my rights."
Mandela mentioned in his statement that his relationship with Ayob has been "irreparably harmed". He denied ever signing over the intellectual rights of his name to Ayob's company, Tinancier Investment and Holding, as Ayob claims.
The court case is expected to start in the Johannesburg High Court on May 31.
Calder was not available for comment.