'Zimra paying its bosses astronomical perks'

Parliamentarians have accused the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority of awarding its management high salaries that are not commensurate with the prevailing macro-economic conditions in the country. Legislators have called for the disclosure of management salaries at the ZIMRA claiming there are reports that the body is paying its executive astronomical perks.
This came out of a stakeholder workshop for members of parliament hosted by ZIMRA held in the capital.
"Their salaries are exorbitant, such corruption should be curbed," said Mandipaka, legislator for Buhera Central.
The workshop also focused on domestic taxes, customs and excise issues.
The parliamentarians also urged the revenue collector to take bold and punitive measures against perpetrators of corruption to deter the unethical practice.
"Corruption begins with unsustainable salaries that impact negatively on associations then the economy at large," Muchenje said.
"We should see a paradigm shift in terms of how ZIMRA operates," said Mpofu.
ZIMRA Commissioner General Gershom Pasi admitted to the parliamentarians that rampant corruption is inhibiting national economic growth and acknowledged that his organisation would be taking punitive action against corrupt officials.
He also denied that management at the revenue collector earns obscene salaries.
"We are operating above board in terms of our salaries. In cases of corruption we are looking at taking punitive action against offenders," Mr Pasi said.
The rampant corruption, mostly blamed on ZIMRA officials at points of entry, has hit hard on the revenue collection body's capacity to deliver according to legislators who attended the workshop.
According to economic analysts, ZIMRA has failed to widen its net to include the informal sector, which is estimated to account for over 50 percent of the country's gross domestic product, into the tax remittance system.