Mthuli Ncube told to get his 2% tax from diamond looters

VILLAGERS in Marange villagers have fiercely rebuffed the 2% electronic payments tax recently introduced by finance minister Mthuli Ncube saying the treasury chief must, alternatively, hunt down billions of dollars stolen in diamond revenues.

Villagers in the diamond-producing Marange district said there was no justification for the government to tax disadvantaged people living in rural communities.

This came out during the recent commemorations of the infamous Operation Hakudzokwi which left scores people dead when government unleashed security forces to flush out illegal diamond panners from the district in 2007.

Villagers said finance minister Ncube should collect his tax from diamond mining companies they accused of looting the area.