BEITBRIDGE
–
Cross-border
travellers
and
traders
are
facing
lengthy
delays
at
Beitbridge
Border
Post
after
Zimbabwe
Revenue
Authority
officers
intensified
searches
of
bus
luggage
to
enforce
a
US$200
personal
rebate
cap,
with
some
buses
held
up
for
more
than
eight
hours.
Traveller
Talent
Goronga
said
the
searches
were
thorough
and
at
times
distressing
for
passengers
who
arrived
unprepared
for
duty
demands.
“ZIMRA
is
slapping
duty
on
everything,
even
perfumes.
I
felt
sorry
for
one
woman
who
was
bringing
goods
worth
R10,000
and
she
had
no
money
for
duty
demanded
by
ZIMRA.
They
took
her
goods,”
Goronga
said.
He
added
that
the
crackdown
extended
beyond
the
border
post
itself,
with
buses
intercepted
further
along
the
route.
“I
saw
several
buses
being
turned
back
to
the
border
after
they
reached
a
checkpoint
at
Bubi
and
were
told
the
goods
were
not
properly
declared,”
he
said.
“My
advice
to
our
brothers
and
sisters
in
South
Africa
is
to
familiarise
themselves
with
ZIMRA’s
new
duty
demands
otherwise
they
will
just
lose
their
goods.”
Fellow
traveller
Blessing
Hungwe
said
he
spent
more
than
24
hours
at
the
border.
Couriered
goods
appeared
to
attract
particular
scrutiny.
“ZIMRA
were
seizing
goods
from
buses
which
had
no
owners
among
the
passengers.
These
would
be
goods
given
to
the
bus
company
to
courier
to
Zimbabwe.
They
particularly
don’t
want
to
see
furniture,
unless
you’re
a
returning
resident,”
Hungwe
said.
In
a
public
notice
on
Monday
evening,
ZIMRA
said
border
processes
were
being
strengthened
to
improve
efficiency
and
promote
fair
trade,
reiterating
that
the
personal
travellers’
rebate
stands
at
US$200
per
person
per
calendar
month.
The
authority
said
goods
exceeding
that
threshold
are
liable
for
duty
on
the
excess
value,
while
bulk
goods
intended
for
resale
must
be
declared
as
commercial
consignments
and
cleared
through
licensed
agents.
ZIMRA
added
that
commercial
consignments
valued
below
US$1,000
can
be
duty-paid
directly
at
its
counters,
though
it
encouraged
the
use
of
clearing
agents
to
allow
for
pre-clearance
and
reduce
border
delays.
Travellers
were
urged
to
declare
goods
accurately
and
utilise
pre-clearance
facilities
before
arrival.