admin
development follows an outcry by car importers forcing the parastatal to revert to calculating duty for vehicle imports at Beitbridge border post after their information and technology officers failed to address the internet connectivity system at the Manica Bonded Warehouse.
Prior to the new arrangement Zimra had been handling all the vehicle clearance processes at the Manica Transit Shed except the payments which were being made at the border post for security reasons.
Problems at Manica mounted following the introduction of the Asycuda Plus system for processing vehicle imports in March this year in a bid to ensure efficiency. The system would also reduce interface between the customs officers and its clients.
Asycuda (Automated System for Customs Data) is a more efficient and advanced system for customs data processing since it is internet-based.
Before the introduction of Asycuda, the revenue authority had been relying on a system which is based on the Local Area Network (LAN). The new system is connected to the organisation’s national grid.
However, the system has strongly affected the processing of car imports due to intermittent connectivity challenges.
Zimra’s director of corporate and legal affairs Ms Florence Jambwa said they had started looking into problems at Manica.
“Intermittent connectivity challenges that are being faced at Beitbridge Border Post are being looked into in order to ensure uninterrupted internet access.
“I can confirm that our internet service provider is currently attending to the technical fault at Manica Transit Shed. The long-term solution lies in having a fibre optic link between the Manica Transit Shed and the rest of the world,” she said.
Online Reporter