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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) cleared 7,926 imported second hand vehicles at Beitbridge border post between April and June this year.
During the first quarter of this year, 5,978 vehicles passed through Beitbridge, bringing to 13,904 the total number of cars imported through the same border post between January and June.
Zimra’s Beitbridge regional manager Christopher Zifudzi told a team led by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko on a visit to the border town recently that they were handling an average of 88 car imports at Manica Transit shed per day.
“A total of 7,926 vehicles were imported through Beitbridge Border Post between the months of April and June 2015. Most of these vehicles were imported from Japan, Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom,” said Zifudzi.
“During the same period we also processed a total of 38 vehicle imports for returning residents.”
He said on average they were clearing around 2,600 imported vehicles per month.
Zifudzi said the rates for excise duty on vehicle imports depended on engine capacity and year of manufacture.
“The processing of vehicle imports could take less than three hours depending on the availability of all the requisite documents which include invoice, bill of lading and a bill of entry and export from South Africa among others” said Zifudzi.
According to Zimra requirements, vehicles imported from South Africa must be accompanied by a Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Coordination Organisation (SARPCCO) clearance certificate, vehicle registration book, invoice and an agreement of sale.
In his mid-term policy statement recently, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa proposed to increase surtax from 25 percent to 35 percent on second hand light passenger motor vehicles aged more than five years at the time of importation, with effect from September 1, 2015.
Under the new proposals, vehicles will now attract customs duty of 95 percent up from 86 percent.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo