ZIMRA seeks Borrowdale Brooke property details

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has requested detailed information on property owners and tenants at the upmarket Borrowdale Brooke Golf Estate as the tax authority intensifies efforts to improve tax compliance.

In a notice dated August 28, the Borrowdale Brooke Homeowners Association advised residents that ZIMRA had requested information on properties within the estate.

The information sought includes the names of property owners and tenants, lease commencement dates, and contact details for both owners and tenants.

The association said the request was made in terms of Section 39 of the Income Tax Act, which gives the Commissioner of Taxes the authority to require additional returns or information for purposes of administering the Act.

According to the association, it sought external legal advice to determine the extent of its obligations and what information could lawfully be disclosed to the revenue authority.

Following that advice, the association concluded that it was legally obliged to comply with ZIMRA's request.

"The Association is under a legal obligation to comply with the request," the homeowners' association said.

It also assured residents that it would not disclose information beyond what had been specifically requested by ZIMRA.

The association said it was working with the tax authority and would release the requested information shortly.

"No information beyond the statutory request shall be disclosed," it said.

The development comes against the backdrop of broader government efforts to expand Zimbabwe's tax base and improve revenue collection, including proposals targeting high-net-worth individuals.

In 2025, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa told Parliament that Government had temporarily shelved implementation of the country's wealth tax while administrative and legislative mechanisms were being refined.

The proposed wealth tax was intended to require high-net-worth individuals to contribute more to the fiscus and broaden the country's revenue base.

Mnangagwa said the tax could only be implemented effectively once clear mechanisms were in place to identify, assess, monitor and collect contributions from the targeted individuals and entities.

Wealth taxes generally apply to the value of assets owned by individuals or households, including property, shares and investments, and are used in some jurisdictions to raise additional revenue and address wealth inequality.

Zimbabwe's proposed wealth tax forms part of wider fiscal reforms aimed at increasing government revenue beyond traditional sources such as income and consumption taxes.

The latest ZIMRA request for property ownership and tenancy information could provide the authority with additional data to assess tax compliance and identify potential gaps in declarations and payments.

The move is likely to attract attention from property owners and investors as Government continues efforts to strengthen tax administration and increase revenue collection.