Truck drivers block Beitbridge Border post in protest

Ttruck drivers blocked the exit gate on the arrivals commercial section in protest against poor service delivery by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), although officials were blaming truckers who do not want their cargo sealed.

A driver who spoke to The Herald on condition of anonymity said that Zimra’s current clearance system was slow and frustrating. Said the truck driver:

We spend more than three days here with Zimra saying they have run out of electronic seals for our cargo. Currently they are putting us in batches of 30 trucks, which they then escort to the next port of exit using one vehicle. This is a frustrating process considering that they release the escort vehicle once per day, Most of us are paid salaries based on the trips we make per month and a delay of three or four days is not good at all. We are calling on the government to urgently look into the issues around the customs clearance of transit cargo.

The Herald could not reach Zimra’s head of communications, Mr Canisio Mudzimu for a comment. However, officials said that the  chaos was caused by truck driver who do not want to comply with Statutory Instrument No 113 on control of transit cargo, which makes it mandatory that no cargo shall depart any port of entry until all details are captured into the electronic clearance system.

More: Herald