Online Reporter
Sunday Mail Reporter
ALL arms of Government, including regulatory and statutory bodies, are now required to provide electronic systems for the payment of all statutory fees, charges and related penalties in a move aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and domestic revenue mobilisation.
The changes are contained in the Finance Act that was signed into law by President Mnangagwa last week, which introduces a new provision compelling Government institutions that collect statutory fees to make electronic payment platforms easily accessible to the public.
The new measures will, however, still allow the option of cash payments.
Under the regulations, Government bodies empowered to charge statutory fees or penalties “shall avail to the members of the public wishing to pay any such statutory fee or charge or any such penalty an easily accessible electronic payment system, device or platform for that purpose”.
At the same time, they must “afford every payer of the same option to pay cash or to effect payment by the use of an electronic payment system or device”.
The law defines an “electronic payment system, device or platform” broadly to include point-of-sale (POS) machines, mobile money platforms and “such other system, device or apparatus enabling the electronic transfer of money as may be prescribed, ensuring flexibility and future-proofing as payment technologies evolve.
The new measures took effect from Thursday and override any existing laws or regulations that may require cash-only payments.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the move is part of broader efforts to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation and modernise non-tax revenue collection systems.
He also said all Government ministries, departments and agencies will be directed to ensure that the public is given the option to pay user fees through POS machines, direct bank deposits and transfers, as well as mobile money platforms, “thereby eliminating reliance on cash payments”.
Overall, payment of user fees in cash “shall, thus, not be mandatory”.
Prof Ncube said the public funds management system will be upgraded and recalibrated “to ensure seamless and traceable payments of fees”, with revenues deposited directly into Treasury accounts.
Under the new system, users will only be required to provide proof of payment before accessing Government services.
The amendment is expected to significantly improve efficiency in revenue collection by reducing queues, speeding up transactions and minimising administrative bottlenecks associated with cash handling.
Electronic payments also generate automatic records, improving audit trails and reducing opportunities for revenue leakages, under-collection and corruption.
By integrating payment platforms directly with Treasury systems, Government aims to ensure that statutory fees collected by ministries, departments and agencies are promptly and transparently remitted to central accounts, strengthening fiscal discipline and public financial management.
Experts say the development marks a significant step in Government’s digital transformation agenda, aligning statutory fee collection with wider e-government reforms and the growing use of electronic and mobile payments in the economy.
