THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has, with effect
from August 28, suspended two of its Beitbridge senior managers and another
manager from dog section.
The suspension of Batsirai Chadzingwa, the regional manager
of Beitbridge, John Miles Cochrane, the bonds and State warehouse manager at
Beitbridge and Nhlanhla Ndlovu, who manages the dog section, was announced
through a circular dated August 28 from acting Zimra Commissioner-General,
Happias Kuzvinzwa to all staff.
Zimra spokesman, Canisio Mudzimu yesterday confirmed the
suspensions, but refused to shed light on the reasons for that action.
“The question you have asked concerns contracts of
employment between the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and its members of staff. As
you appreciate, contracts of employment are confidential in nature. I am,
therefore, not at liberty to comment on the issues you have raised,” he said in
a written response to questions.
Unconfirmed reports, however, suggest Chadzingwa and
Cochrane could have been suspended in connection with allegations of failing to
arrest rampant transit smuggling using electronic tracker devices used to
monitor vehicles in transit.
Zimra board chairperson, Willia Bonyongwe was quoted in the
media this week accusing customs and excise officers of being responsible for
the loss of millions of dollars to transit smuggling.
Transit smuggling is the dumping of goods, which are
imported and declared as in transit — for which duty is not levied — that are
later dumped on the local market.
Millions of litres of fuel have been smuggled in the same
manner.
Mudzimu also refused to shed light on the more than 80
tonnes of Malawi-bound dressed chickens that Mozambique refused to grant
transit access after they came from South Africa, which had a recent bird flu
attack.
The chicken destined for Nando’s Malawi arrived through
Beitbridge in transit to Malawi via Nyamapanda, but Mozambique refused them entry
citing bird flu.
In turn, South Africa refused to accept the same trucks
because Zimbabwean customs officials had opened the trucks during physical
examination.
“Section 34 (A) of the Revenue Authority Act [Chapter
21:11] precludes Zimra from providing specific information pertaining to its
clients to a third party. I am, therefore, unable to comment on the issue you
have raised,” Mudzimu said when he was asked what became of the chicken load.
Cochrane reportedly escorted the trucks carrying the
chickens to Harare. But it was not clear where they have been kept, although
Zimra was likely to bear costs of the trucks’ delays and cost of the chickens
after its officers failed to comply with a section of the Sadc protocol on
goods in transit.
“Zimra has a transit management system, that is meant to
curtail transit fraud and the illegal dumping of goods on the domestic market.
“This transit management regime includes the electronic
cargo tracking system, which entails mounting of electronic seals on transit
cargo and monitoring its movement as it transits through Zimbabwe. Risk
profiling and verification of declared goods are also used to curb smuggling
that is perpetrated in the form of transit fraud and to ensure that the laws
that are administered by Zimra are adhered to,”Mudzimu said.
It I was not clear why Ndlovu was suspended. Newsday
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