Car Importers Refuse To Pay Import Duty In Forex

Luxury vehicle importers at Beitbridge Border Post yesterday were refusing to pay import duty in foreign currency in line with the new Government regulations as proposed by Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube in the 2019 national budget announcement.

In his 2019 national budget presentation on Thursday, Ncube proposed that with effect from yesterday importers should pay duty in foreign currency for vehicles and specified goods. The measure will however not apply on commercial motor vehicles and vehicles for use by the physically challenged.

When The Chronicle’s news crew visited Manica Transit Shed yesterday, car importers especially those who had their vehicles delivered and purchased before the announcement of the budget statement said they were waiting on Zimra to clarify their case. They said although Value for Duty Purposes (VDP) and duty percentages of 96 percent had not changed, it was unfair for Government to charge duty in foreign currency. Zimra officials at Beitbridge Border Post were not accepting payments of duty on vehicle imports pending further clarification from their Commissioner General Ms Faith Mazani.