Zimra fails to capture cyber purchases

Zimra Bulawayo station manager for customs division Mr Sitheni Ncube told delegates attending the Mine Entra in Bulawayo last Thursday that the revenue collector’s ICT system needed upgrading in order to conform to the changes happening globally.
“Zimbabweans have also joined the global trend of transacting through the internet and we are failing to tap into this trend.
“We could be losing millions because we are not able to tax such transaction,” he said.
Zimra, he said, was also facing problems with its servers that have resulted in late implementation of its Automated System for Customs Data Asycuda and delays in clearing goods.
The Asycuda programme allows business to declare their goods with Zimra through the Internet helping in limiting time they would spend clearing goods physically at points of entry.
“Our systems have problems, but we are in the process of acquiring new servers that will help speed up the processes especially at busy points such as Beitbridge.”
He said the organisation was also hoping that the completion of the fibre optic link between Bulawayo and Beitbridge would improve connectivity especially at Beitbridge Border Post.
Government is in the process of linking a fibre optic from Harare to Beitbridge via Bulawayo.
It has completed the first phase that linked Harare and Bulawayo while work to link Beitbridge is underway. — CAJ News.