The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has unearthed a scam in which over eight thousand heavy duty vehicles have been imported dubiously making government lose over 480 million Kwacha in taxes.
Speaking to the media in Lusaka today, ZRA Corporate Communications Manager Topsy Sikalinda disclosed that the heavy-duty vehicles were imported using Value Added Tax deferred facility for other taxpayers.
Mr. Sikalinda said it is unfortunate that as government wants to promote the manufacturing and other industries by deferring VAT, some people with ill intent are allegedly abusing the incentive.
He said after the revelation, ZRA has revoked 136 licences for clearing agents.
Mr. Sikalinda said the authority will tomorrow publish the names of revoked licenses and the registration numbers of the heavy-duty trucks that were imported dubiously.
FIC mwebantu pliz.
Either fire all ZRA bosses or close it all. Fire fuuucking Topsy
How can they be proud to be announcing ‘government lost money, ZRA is incompetent”. Twice a week read more and more incompetence.
PF is broke because of ZRA. Liquidate it!¡
Confiscate these trucks and arrest the owners. Simple. They forfeit the trucks to the State and they go to prison. That’ll teach other would be scammers that ZRA means business.
Tomorrow they will auction those trucks to themselves. That’s what they do. The rest they set on fire. Surbotaging Zambians businesses.
Looks like it is a corruption feeding frenzy in Zambia…..
Week after week nothing but corruption, than they ban ati corruption demonstrations ???
Police denied a permit for the yellow card demonstration against corruption from taking place….
@3 Spaka,Yes,this is corruption,it could have only been possible with collusion of ZRA Officials managing the VAT Deferment Schemes on computers systems!!Very sad for our nation,all sectors of governance are festering with corruption!!
These are the PEP chaps Mwina Chinsali was talking about!
The question we have to ask ourselves is why do people cheat on taxes? The answers are not far-fetched! One of the contributing factors is “normal” duty is prohibitively high in Zambia! Why should you buy a truck for $80,000 and they want you to pay $100,000 in duty charges? The charges in duties almost always exceed the purchase price! Why? We need Tax cuts in this country! Charge a reasonable and fair tax and you will be surprised how much tax revenue you will get. Tax compliance also goes up when the taxes are fair! In this day and age, why should we be subjecting vehicles as Luxuries when they are necessities? Don’t you want Zambians to own brand new vehicles? The way Zambia taxes itself is like a mad farmer who plucks all…
The way Zambia taxes itself is like a mad farmer who plucks all the flowers from a fruiting Orange tree and expecting a bumper harvest of Oranges!
Please note that tax evasion is a world wide phenomenon and is not peculiar to Zambia. For example Donald Trump did not pay tax for 8 years because his company was allegedly making losses and yet he was able to sustain a luxurious lifestyle.
Corruption cannot be controlled under PF because it is part of the anatomy of PF if you kill corruption PF dies with it no wonder they can not allow you to demonstrate against it, police will be sent to beat you up.
Surely, do we need a tax evasion commission of enquiry to establish the reasons why so many people are engaging in this vice? The government can do better. Please Boma muyanganepo. Let us review our tax regime.