Zimra spreads its wings

By Victor Maphosa

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) yesterday opened new offices in Marondera to facilitate easy access for its services by people in Mashonaland East Province.

ZIMRA used to run a satellite station where officers would come from Harare for a few days, especially during month ends, to facilitate revenue collection.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony, ZIMRA Commissioner-General Ms Faith Mazani said the opening of the Marondera office was a significant development, because it brought convenience to the people of Mashonaland East.

“The opening of the Marondera office is a significant development for us, we believe that it will enable Mashonaland East to be a major player in the development of the local economy through payment of tax,” she said.

“We used to run a satellite station where our officers would come here for a few days especially at the end of every month. We saw that this was inconveniencing our clients, considering that as an authority we want our clients to access our services at minimum cost.”

Ms Mazani said the new offices will offer domestic services initially and other services would be introduced in due course.

“The main tax heads this office shall deal with are Income Tax, Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Value Added Tax (VAT), Presumptive Tax and Withholding Tax,” she said.

She urged taxpayers in the town to pay their taxes religiously and those who are not compliant to approach ZIMRA officials to make a payment plan.

“Our intention as ZIMRA is to move towards sustainable taxation, where business is able to pay their tax dues but also remain operational.

“As such, I call upon all those who are in arrears or those clients who are failing to honour their obligations to come forward and sit with us so that we agree on payment plans, which are beneficial to both the State and business.”

Ms Mazani urged ZIMRA clients and officers to shun corruption and all activities which slow economic development.

“As has always been our call over the years, let us work together to shun corruption and all other economic malfeasances,” she said.

In his remarks during the ceremony, Minister of State for Mashonaland East Province David Musabayana urged ZIMRA to be professional in discharging its duties. “I believe that professionalism, integrity, transparency and fairness are major determinants of success in whatever we do whether as business entities or individuals,” he said.

“This entails making correct declarations and desisting from understating our profits when paying tax and duty on importations. Vices like corruption, smuggling, tax evasion and indifferent attitude towards work should be dealt with using a zero tolerance approach.”

Minister Musabayana said corrupting tax officers in order to beat the system should not be tolerated if the relationship between the taxpayer and the tax administrator was to remain healthy. The Herald