'Tax those above PDL'

The Social and Economic Justice Civic Society Organisations in Zimbabwe - a loose coalition of several non-governmental organisations - says the two percent tax on electronic transactions must be levied on transactions above the poverty datum line (PDL) which is currently at US$522 to cushion the poor and marginalised.

The coalition, which recently met to deliberate on the impacts of the joint monetary and fiscal policy statements on ordinary citizens, also recommended government to come up with long-term strategies for overcoming the current foreign currency shortages by relaxing the regulations and removing duty on importation of basic commodities so as to redirect its resources towards medical equipment and clean water to citizens.

"The government must ensure transparency and openness in revenue collection, borrowing and spending to fight corruption and that subsides, tax exemptions and public pronouncements be made public.

"Government's increasing appetite to borrow has driven both the external and domestic debt to unsustainable levels, hence the need for government to adhere to the constitutional provisions regarding limits of State borrowings, public debt and State guarantees," the coalition said in a joint media statement.