Zimra struggles to curb smuggling

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) says it desperately needs partnerships with other stakeholders to fight rampant smuggling and corruption at the ports of entry and along the country's borders.

The tax collector is offering 10 percent of any recovered tax to whistleblowers for reporting smuggling or corruption.

Despite registering positives since the introduction of a cargo tracking system three months ago, which has also been commended by Government, Zimra says the borders, especially between Zimbabwe and Botswana and Mozambique, have remained very porous.

In a presentation on "Zimra Partnering Business" at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ) Winter School here last week, Zimra Acting Commissioner general, Mr Happias Kuzvinzwa, who was represented by the revenue authority's regional manager for Matabeleland, Mr Lisani Peswa Dube, said the tax authority was struggling to control smuggling activities especially along the borders with Botswana and Mozambique.

"Our border line is porous especially between Botswana and Mozambique where there is no physical barrier. It's difficult for Zimra and other policing agents to monitor the borders and as such smugglers use that route," said Mr Kuzvinzwa.

He said rampant smuggling was killing the economy as goods are brought through undesignated ports and where they don't pay duty hence they are sold at very cheap prices, thereby killing the local industry.

"Corruption is a scourge that is affecting the nation as it harms state resources as well as giving unfair advantage to those that evade tax.

"We have cases of people offering bribes or kickbacks to Zimra employees or workers themselves asking for such. Our plea is that let's partner in fighting this and please don't pay a bribe to any Zimra employee," Mr Kuzvinzwa said.

He urged citizens to use Zimra hotlines to report corruption cases. Mr Kuzvinzwa said Zimra was looking at reducing porosity of border posts through intensifying patrols.

He said work was in progress towards introducing drones to patrol the porous borders and air strips that are also used for illicit activities.

"We introduced the electronic cargo tracking system where we say all goods in transit should be in containers. We attach electronic seals to the container, which allows us to monitor trucks. The system tells us where the cargo is and where it stops and for how long.

"It updates us when they cross the border and this is helping curb transit fraud thereby levelling the playing field. We have also intensified border controls and plan to introduce drones that will patrol the border line," said Mr Kuzvinzwa.

He said Zimra will also introduce non-intrusive inspection equipment to complement scanners being used at Beitbridge, Chirundu and Plumtree Border posts.

Speaking at the same occasion, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the Government was working tirelessly to curb corruption.

He, however, bemoaned the negative attitude in people saying one of the security cameras at Beitbridge Border was at some point removed by people who want to conceal illicit dealings.

Minister Chinamasa said the cargo tracking system was paying dividends and revealed that some trucks made U-turns when they heard that Government had commissioned a tracking system.