Terrence Mawawa| Zvishavane, Desperate government controlled Zimbabwe Revenue Authority(ZIMRA) is persistently exploiting Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by imposing exorbitant tax charges, it has emerged.
Disgruntled leaders of various SMEs told ZimEye. com on Monday, they regretted the formalisation of their businesses because ZIMRA was asking for prohibitive taxes. SMEs here have threatened to close their business in protest at the persistent cash raids by ZIMRA.
They said the Small to Medium Enterprise sector should not be seen as a cash cow by ZIMRA.
It has also emerged ZIMRA is under immense pressure from the government to boost its revenue collection base.
With many companies battling to remain afloat in the wake of the dwindling economy, the Small to Medium Enterprise sector has become the target of ZIMRA’s incessant cash raids.
The Secretary General for SMEs in Zvishavane, Bigboy Murenga, said there was heightened tension between ZIMRA and his organisation because of unrealistic tax charges. “ZIMRA officials are visiting registered SMEs frequently to collect taxes. We will close our businesses because we are literally working for ZIMRA. This effectively means the ZIMRA taxes are prohibitive,” said Murenga.
He added, “As a result of the high tax charges, unregistered SMEs are unwilling to register their businesses because formalisation has become a crime.”
Business owners here slammed ZIMRA’s rigid tax regime and called for a paradigm shift towards tax collection.
Business people who spoke to ZimEye.com said ZIMRA’s rigid approach was contributing towards the loss of revenue in the country.
IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME WHEN THEY WILL NOTICE THEY CANNOT SQUEEZE ANY MORE MONEY OUT OF THE DEAD ECONOMY. FOR NOW THEY CAN TAKE THEIR BOND NOTES AS TAXES. FIRE THE MANY USELESS COPS FULL ON OUR ROADS, THE MANY ZIMRA OFFICIALS, THE IDLE SOLDIERS, AND KABOOM… PROBLEM SOLVED
Zvishavane, take the lead like always
The government has become predatory on its citizenry and without an economic solution in sight, it will be the vampire sucking the lifeblood of SMEs and others, the tobacco farmers have survived for now but they will eventually be robbed of their cash as well!!