adminZimra officials.
This instalment is aimed at educating, alerting and reminding our clients about how Zimra officers conduct visits to clients’ premises and what they should check for in order to ensure that they are dealing with the right people.
Mandate of Zimra
Zimra’s mandate is to collect revenue, facilitate trade and travel, advise Government on fiscal and economic matters and protect civil society.
The mandate is achieved through administering various legislative provisions.
In order to implement these laws, the Commissioner-General of Zimra may assign officers to visit clients in order to obtain information, verify certain declarations, carry out audits, post clearances and other tasks as required in administering the various statutes.
Visits to Clients
Normally, Zimra officers work in teams and at least two officers are assigned to visit a client.
When officers are visiting a client for an audit, investigation or other visit, they normally make appointments and agree with the client as to the time, date, venue, and requirements for such visit or meeting.
The Commissioner-General of Zimra is, however, empowered to make unannounced visits to clients on warranting cases and situations.
Under such circumstances, he may assign officers to verify certain facts, obtain information; records seize goods and other requirements as provided at law.
Identification
When carrying out duties and on visiting the client’s premises, Zimra officers should wear name tags showing the first name and the surname of each officer.
They should also display and show the client their Zimra identity cards.
The Zimra identity card contains the following features:
- Zimbabwean flag
- Zimbabwe Revenue Authority logo (showing the Zimra core values: integrity,transparency and fairness)
- The officer’s licence size, photograph and an SAP number on its right
- Surname and first name of the officer
- National Identification number of officer
- Officer’s employment number (EC number), expiry date of identity card and signature of officer.
- Zimra motto: “I am here to serve . . .”
In addition in most cases the officers are expected to be in Zimra uniform.
Offences
Clients are advised to co-operate with the officers to whom authority has been properly delegated by the Commissioner-General of Zimra. This will greatly assist in dealing with the issues expeditiously.
Our valued clients are also informed that it is an offence to obstruct, hinder or refuse obey instructions or to provide any information as requested by a properly assigned officer.
Reporting of suspicious persons
In cases where clients are in doubt when approached by persons purporting to be Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officers, they are encouraged to call the Zimra Head Office for confirmation or report such cases to the nearest police station.
Zimra does not tolerate and is ever fighting against any forms of corruption and urges its clients to report any officer who is involved in such malpractices to the police or other law enforcement agents or at Zimra head office using the information given below.
Disclaimer: This article was compiled by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority for information purposes only. Zimra shall not accept responsibility for loss or damage arising from use of material in this article and no liability will attach to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
To contact Zimra: Visit our website: www. zimra.co.zw or Follow us on Twitter: @Zimra_11 or Like us on Facebook : www.facebook.com/Zimra.11 or send us an e-mail: [email protected] or call us (Head Office): 04-758891/5; 790813; 790814; 781345; 751624; 752731.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda