2025 National Budget Is Anti-people, Anti-business And Anti-Zimbabwe – CCC

Our
success
must
move
from
a
government
that
is
just
a
tax
collector
to
one
that
enables
economic
growth
and
create
jobs.
Our
people
are
suffering
idleness.

A
CCC
government
will
implement
the
following
budget
policies:

1.
Ensure
job
creation
by
funding
youth
and
women
innovation
funnels
and
entrepreneurial
development

2.
Cut
off
middlemen
often
called
“buyers”
in
the
mineral
value
chain
by
enhancing
capacity
of
the
Minerals
Marketing
Authority
to
Zimbabwe
and
Fidelity
Printers.
This
will
prevent
pilferage
and
haemorrhage
of
precious
minerals
for
the
benefit
of
the
select
few.

3.
Empower
communities
through
revenue
share
of
mineral
wealth
through
community
ownership
schemes
run
by
trusts.

4.
Drive
innovation,
partnerships
and
good
governance
to
have
part
of
mineral
wealth
exploited
fully
by
exclusive
mining
by
Zimbabwe
Mining
Development
Fund.

5.
Fund
rural
value
addition
in
agriculture,
organise
communities
and
offer
export
incentives.
Develop
and
deploy
rural
industrial
hubs
and
access
to
market
schemes.

6.
Have
robust
fiscal
regime
that
curtail
non-value
adding
imports
whilst
growing
local
capacity.

7.
Invest
in
science
and
technology
including
innovation
hubs
that
go
beyond
the
familiar
of
copying
and
pasting
already
existing
ideas.

8.
Re-invent
the
idea
of
growth
points
as
centres
of
economic
success
stories
and
as
places
to
live
and
thrive
for
the
youth.

9.
Increase
tax
collection
by
simplifying
the
tax
code
and
offer
tax
breaks
for
Small
Micro
and
medium
enterprises.

10.
Reform,
fund
and
refine
technical
college
training
to
enable
massive
export
of
labour
on
a
government
to
government
agreement.

11.
Negotiate
taxations
agreement
that
enable
additional
tax
benefit
from
the
Zimbabwe
trained
diaspora
benefitting
foreign
governments.

12.
Simplify
license,
permits
and
tax
payments
to
simplify
the
cost
of
doing
business
so
as
to
attract
investment
and
prevent
underground
economy.

As
CCC
we
believe
in
the
importance
of
health
for
all.
Taxes
should
not
be
used
to
punish
citizens
and
corporates.
A
CCC
government
will
do
the
following:

1.
Establish
a
lean
collecting
agent
for
lifestyle
taxes
including
but
not
limited
to
sugar
tax,
airtime
and
data
tax,
tobacco
and
cigarette
surtax,
and
other
health
related
tax
collections

2.
Ensure
a
100%
free
tax
regime
for
health
service
firms
and
PAYE
exemption
of
health
service
workers.

3.
Initiate
a
council
that
encompass
Aids,
TB,
Cancer,
Diabetes
and
Hypertension
instead
of
just
one
that
cares
for
HIV
and
AIDS.

The
education
budget
allocation
greatness
is
that
it
exceeds
the
Maputo
Declaration
albeit
that
16%
of
nothing
is
nothing.
A
one
size
fits
all
model
causes
inordinate
tax
burdens.

As
a
CCC
government
we
shall
cover
100%
of
rural
schools’
budget,
70%
for
high-density
schools,
50%
of
low-densityschools
and
0%
of
private
schools.

Presenting
a
budget
on
the
mantra
of
“Building
Resilience
for
Sustained
Economic
Transformation”
is
a
loud
sounding
nothing
when
in
the
statement
the
anchor
remains
agriculture
and
mining.

A
CCC
government
will
drive
economic
diversification
as
a
strategic
imperative.
Further
we
shall
ensure
the
entire
Zimbabwe
is
a
special
economic
zone
for
5
years
to
attract
and
retain
investment
then
create
jobs.

The
country’s
economy
is
largely
formal.
Introducing
corporate
tax
as
a
panacea
solves
nothing
in
our
view.
A
CCC
government
will
drive
a
program
to
simplify
the
tax
code
including
licensing
and
permit
codes.

We
shall
liaise
with
professional
bodies
to
further
simplify
reporting
standards
of
small
enterprises.
This
will
enable
easy
and
cost-effective
compliance.

A
decentralized
area-based
Zimra
booth
is
a
simple
idea
but
effective.
Capturing
the
formal
into
informal
shall
be
done
with
massive
reduction
of
tax
heads
and
tax
amounts.

As
a
CCC
government
our
intention
is
to
collapse
ministries
with
insignificant
allocations
and
or
make
them
departments.

Allocations
should
be
alive
to
value
creation
ministries
more.
We
shall
discard
incremental
budgets
and
implement
value
and
activity-based
budgeting.

It
is
sad
that
civil
servants’
welfare
was
largely
ignored
in
this
budget.
As
CCC
government
we
shall
benchmark
salaries
to
regional
standards
with
a
first-year
premium
of
a
higher
cost
of
living
in
the
country.

The
budget
is
based
on
a
ZiG
conversion
that
is
sub
optimal
and
false.
It’s
a
lie.
As
CCC
government
in
our
first
year
of
office
we
shall
base
our
budget
on
US
dollar,
discard
the
ZiG
and
then
deploy
a
mono
currency
in
the
second
year.

The
diaspora
rights
particularly
the
right
to
vote
could
increase
diaspora
remittances
and
promotion
of
import
substitution
to
help
the
balance
of
payments
and
the
current
account.

The
budget
is
anti-people,
anti-business
and
anti-Zimbabwe.
It
must
be
rejected.

Willias
Madzimure

Party
Spokesperson

Citizens
Coalition
for
Change

IAEA Completes International Physical Protection Advisory Service Mission in Zimbabwe

The
IPPAS
team
visited
a
radioactive
waste
management
facility
to
review
physical
protection
measures.
(Photo:
Radiation
Protection
Authority
of
Zimbabwe)

Zimbabwe
uses
nuclear
science
and
technology
for
peaceful
purposes
in
various
sectors,
including
health,
industry,
mining,
agriculture,
education
and
research.

Hosted
by
the
Radiation
Protection
Authority
of
Zimbabwe
(RPAZ),
the
seven-person
mission
team
reviewed
Zimbabwe’s
nuclear
security
regime
for
radioactive
material,
associated
facilities
and
activities,
and
the
implementation
of
the Amendment
to
Convention
on
the
Physical
Protection
of
Nuclear
Material
 (A/CPPNM).
Zimbabwe
accepted
the
2005
Amendment
to
the
CPPNM
in
2023.
This
Amendment
significantly
enhances
the
original
CPPNM
by
broadening
its
scope
and
establishing
obligations
for
Parties
to
ensure
the
physical
protection
of
all
nuclear
facilities
and
nuclear
material
used
for
peaceful
purposes,
whether
in
domestic
use,
storage
or
transport.

The
scope
of
the
mission
also
included
a
review
of
the
legislative
and
regulatory
framework
for
the
security
of
radioactive
material;
regulatory
practices
in
licensing,
inspection
and
enforcement;
and
coordination
between
stakeholders
involved
in
nuclear
security.
As
part
of
the
review,
the
IPPAS
team
visited
the
Radiotherapy
Centre
of
the
Parirenyatwa
Group
of
Hospitals
in
Harare,
the
radioactive
waste
management
facility
of
the
RPAZ
in
Harare,
the
Bindura
Nickel
Corporation
in
Bindura,
and
the
Mpilo
Central
Hospital
in
Bulawayo.

The
IPPAS
team,
led
by
Kouame
Remi
Adjoumani
from
Côte
d’Ivoire,
included
experts
from
Canada,
Egypt,
Türkiye,
the
United
States
of
America
and
Zambia,
as
well
as
one
IAEA
staff
member.
The
team
held
discussions
with
officials
from
the
RPAZ,
the
Office
of
the
President
and
Cabinet,
the
Ministries
of
Health
and
Childcare,
Defence,
Transport
and
Infrastructure
Development,
as
well
as
the
Zimbabwe
Defence
Forces,
the
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police,
the
Zimbabwe
Revenue
Authority,
the
National
Nuclear
Security
Committee,
the
Airports
Company
of
Zimbabwe,
among
others.

The
team
observed
that
the
nuclear
security
regime
in
Zimbabwe
is
being
established.
They
provided
recommendations
and
suggestions
to
support
the
Republic
of
Zimbabwe
in
enhancing
and
sustaining
nuclear
security.
Good
practices
were
identified
that
can
serve
as
examples
to
other
IAEA
Member
States
to
help
strengthen
their
nuclear
security
activities.

“The
completion
of
the
first
IPPAS
mission
in
Zimbabwe
signals
the
start
of
a
new
phase
for
nuclear
security
in
the
country,”
said
Elena
Buglova,
Director
of
the
IAEA
Division
of
Nuclear
Security,
adding
that
“the
implementation
of
the
mission
findings
will
drive
improvements,
which
will
strengthen
various
aspects
of
the
national
nuclear
security
regime.”

“This
mission
to
Zimbabwe
presents
a
significant
milestone
in
the
country’s
efforts
to
strengthen
the
national
nuclear
security
framework
and
measures
and
a
testament
to
the
Government
of
Zimbabwe’s
commitment
to
global
nuclear
security,”
said
Justice
Chipuru,
CEO
of
RPAZ.
“We
are
keen
to
learn
and
receive
recommendations
from
fellow
regional
and
international
experts
and
the
IAEA.
We
commit
to
implementing
the
mission
recommendations
to
provide
assurance
of
the
security
of
sources
at
facilities
and
continuing
cooperation
with
the
Agency.”


Background

The
mission
was
the
107th
IPPAS
mission
conducted
by
the
IAEA
since
the
programme
began
in
1995.

IPPAS
missions
are
intended
to
assist
States
in
strengthening
their
national
nuclear
security
regime.
The
missions
provide
peer
advice
on
implementing
international
instruments,
along
with
IAEA
guidance
on
the
protection
of
nuclear
and
other
radioactive
material
and
associated
facilities.

During
missions,
a
team
of
international
experts
observes
a
nation’s
system
of
physical
protection,
compares
it
with
international
good
practices
and
makes
recommendations
for
improvement.
IPPAS
missions
are
conducted
both
on
a
nationwide
and
facility-specific
basis.

Source:


IAEA
Completes
International
Physical
Protection
Advisory
Service
Mission
in
Zimbabwe

|
IAEA

Brace up for new taxes, aggressive tax collection



Introduction

On
Thursday
28th
November,
2024
the
Minister
of
Finance,
Economic
Development
and
Investment
Promotion
presented
the
2025
budget
statement
in
the
National
Assembly.  The
budget
has
a
number
of
new
tax
proposals.  Most
will
increase
taxes,
but
there
are
tax
reductions
in
some
sectors
to
spur
economic
activity
and
promote
a
green
environment.  Above
all
the
statement
lays
out
an
aggressive
tax
collection
stance
in
the
new
year
as
the
tax
base
shrinks.  This
Watch
looks
at
the
tax
proposals.


Tax
Reductions

In
a
move
aimed
at
reducing
emissions
into
the
atmosphere
the
Government
will
reduce
customs
duty
on
electrical
vehicles
imported
into
the
country.  It
will
remove
value
added
tax
(VAT)
on
liquified
petroleum
gas
(LPG)
and
reduce
the
sugar
tax
to
boost
the
drinks
manufacturing
sector.  The
reduced
taxes
are:

  • Customs
    duty
    on
    electric
    vehicles
    to
    b
    be
    reduced
    from
    40%
    to
    25%
  • Special
    surtax
    on
    cordials
    to
    be
    reduced
    from
    USD
    0.001
    per
    gram
    to
    USD
    0.0005
    per
    gram
    of
    sugar
    content
    in
    concentrated
    beverages
  • VAT
    on
    Liquefied
    Petroleum
    Gas
    (LPG)
    to
    be
    removed.


Increased
Taxes

To
improve
its
revenues
the
Treasury
suggested
the
following
measures;

  • Capital
    gains
    tax
    on
    marketable
    securities
    to
    be
    revised
    from
    a
    temporary
    2%
    withholding
    tax
    to
    a
    final
    1%
    tax
    from
    the
    1st
    January
    2025.
  • Excise
    duty
    on
    alcoholic
    beverages
    to
    be
    increased
    from
    USD
    0.25
    per
    litre
    to
    USD
    0.30
    per
    litre,
    effective
    from
    the
    1st
    January,
    2025.
  • Royalties
    on
    quarry
    stones
    will
    be
    a
    flat
    0.5%
    of
    their
    sales
    value.


New
Taxes
Introduced

In
an
endeavour
to
increase
the
tax
base,
Treasury
proposed
the
following
new
taxes:

  • Fast
    Foods
    Tax:
    A
    0.5%
    tax
    on
    the
    sales
    value
    of
    fast
    food
    items
    like
    pizzas,
    burgers,
    and
    French
    fries,
    effective
    from
    the
    1st
    January,
    2025.
  • Betting
    Tax:
    A
    10%
    withholding
    tax
    on
    gross
    winnings
    of
    sports
    betting
    punters,
    effective
    from
    the
    1st
    January,
    2025.
  • Plastic
    Carrier
    Bag
    Tax:
    A
    20%
    tax
    on
    the
    sale
    value
    of
    plastic
    carrier
    bags,
    to
    promote
    biodegradable
    alternatives.
  • Rental
    Income
    Tax:
    Properties
    converted
    from
    residential
    to
    business
    use
    will
    attract
    a
    25%
    tax
    on
    their
    rental
    income.


Other
Tax
Adjustments

  • Corporate
    income
    tax
    on
    building
    societies:  Receipts
    from
    non-mortgage
    activities
    by
    building
    societies
    will
    now
    be
    taxed.
  • Degree
    of
    export
    orientation
    for
    Special
    Economic
    Zones
    (SEZs)
    will
    be
    reduced
    from
    100%
    to
    80%,
    while
    tax
    holidays
    for
    SEZs
    will
    be
    replaced
    with
    a
    15%
    corporate
    income
    tax
    rate.


Aggressive
Tax
Collection

The
Treasury
has
been
disturbed
by
low
and
late
revenue
collection
in
an
environment
where
inflation
is
high,
and
has
decided
to
reduce
the
days
within
which
companies
that
collect
VAT
have
to
remit
it
to
ZIMRA.  To
improve
the
situation,
the
Minister
proposes
the
following:

  1. Mandatory
    Tax
    Registration
    for
    Emerging
    Sectors:Certain
    business
    categories
    like
    car
    dealers
    and
    hardware
    operators
    must
    register
    for
    taxes,
    failing
    which
    specific
    quarterly
    corporate
    tax
    payments
    are
    mandated.
  2. Changes
    to
    VAT
    Payment
    Deadlines:VAT
    remittance
    deadlines
    to
    be
    reduced
    from
    25
    days
    to
    15
    days
    after
    collection.
  3. Reduced
    Interest
    Rate
    for
    Local
    Currency
    Revenue
    Remittances:Adjusted
    from
    200%
    to
    the
    Bank
    Policy
    Rate
    plus
    5%.


Conclusion

It
is
clear
from
the
growing
budget
deficit
that
the
Treasury
has
been
struggling
to
raise
revenue.
To
remedy
this,
the
Minister
proposes
a
cocktail
of
interventions.  However,
the
Finance
Bill
still
has
to
pass
the
National
Assembly,
and
once
it
is
passed
it
will
be
interesting
to
see
how
far
the
new
measures
are
complied
with
in
our
ailing
economy.



Veritas
makes
every
effort
to
ensure
reliable
information,
but
cannot
take
legal
responsibility
for
information
supplied.

Post
published
in:

Business

‘The colour purple’



Why
did
the
Church
choose
it
for
Advent?
I
don’t
know;
but
it
might
be
something
to
do
with
the
approach
of
royalty.
The
Messiah
revealed
himself
in
Bethlehem

so
we
use
purple
in
Advent.
And
he
revealed
himself
even
more
in
his
death
and
resurrection

so
we
use
it
in
Lent.  


Whatever
the
reason
purple
is
a
combination
of
red
and
blue.
Red
stands
for
violence.
Blue
for
peace.
Our
life
is
actually
a
combination
of
the
two.
We
long
for
peace
but
Jesus
said,
‘I
do
not
come
to
bring
peace
but
the
sword’.
Peace
can
only
be
achieved
through
violence

not
to
others

but
to
ourselves.
‘Unless
you
overcome
yourself,
you
cannot
be
my
disciple’.


What
is
different
between
this
Advent
and
last
Advent?
Is
it
all
vanity,
as
the
writer,
Qoheleth
says;
‘What
was
will
be
again

there
is
nothing
new
under
the
sun.’
That
was
a
bleak
moment
in
the
Old
Testament.
The
underlying
message
of
both
the
Old
and
New
Testament
is
that
we
are
involved
in
a
process
towards
a
goal.
Paul
appeals
to
the
Thessalonians,
to
make
more
and
more
progress
in
reaching
it. 


The
goal
of
all
our
efforts
is
to
bring
justice
and
peace
to
people
everywhere.
(Alice
Walker
wrote
a
novel,



The
Colour
Purple,


about
the
sufferings
of
African-Americans
in
the
early
1900s
in
Georgia,
USA). 
The
struggle
for
justice
is
the
plan
of
God
from
the
time
of
Abraham
and
it
has
to
be
achieved
by
human
sweat
because
God
has
given
us
freedom
and
it
can
be
hard
to
work
to
use
our
human
freedom
to
achieve
his
divine
aim.
Thy
kingdom
come!
But
God
cannot
take
short-cuts;
that
would
be
to
disrespect
our
freedom.
But
we,
humans,
put
up
huge
resistance
and
that
is
why
the
Church
gives
us
these
periods

Advent
and
Lent

to
change,
to
overcome
ourselves
and
let
God
in,
so
as
to
reach
the
goal. 
‘Watch
yourselves
or
your
hearts
will
be
coarsened

and
the
day
will
spring
on
you
like
a
trap,’
warns
our
gospel. 


There
is
a
homely
image
in
Shona
about
strength
oozing
back
into
a
tired
person
like
milk
intro
a
cow’s
udder.
Perhaps
that
is
what
Advent
is

a
time
when
we
are
renewed
by
the
promise
and
joy
of
Christmas
which
comes
to
us
once
more.
We
are
renewed
after
the
tiredness
of
the
passing
year
and,
like
footballers,
enjoy
the
interval
before
the
second
half.



1
December
2024


Advent
1
C


Jer
33:14-16
 
1
Th
3:12-4:2


Lk
21:25…36

Post
published
in:

Featured

Gwanda Solar Project…10 Years Later…US$5 Million Spent

The
site
appears
abandoned
a
decade
after
the
US$172.8
million
tender
was
awarded
to
controversial
businessman
Wicknell
Chivayo.
With
power
cuts
lasting
between
18
to
30
hours
at
a
time—some
areas
receiving
only
two
hours
of
electricity
in
the
middle
of
the
night
when
power
is
restored—frustration
is
mounting
over
the
project’s
failure
to
deliver.

A
visit
by
the
Energy
Parliamentary
Portfolio
Committee
in
March
2024,
six
months
ago,
revealed
the
project’s
dire
state.
The
262-hectare
site
is
overgrown
with
bushes,
termite-infested
wooden
buildings,
missing
roof
tiles,
and
a
single
solar
panel
meant
for
security
lighting.

[Image
Credit:
CITE]

“We
Expected
the
Contractor
to
Be
Here”

Committee
members,
who
met
under
the
blazing
sun
due
to
the
absence
of
basic
facilities,
expressed
their
dissatisfaction.

According
to CITE,
chairperson
Leslie
Mhangwa
criticised
the
Zimbabwe
Power
Company
(ZPC)
for
misrepresenting
the
project’s
status:

“We
spoke
to
ZESA,
and
they
assured
us
all
stakeholders
would
be
here.
We
expected
the
contractor
to
attend.
That’s
why
Members
are
unhappy.”

The
committee
was
shocked
by
the
poor
condition
of
the
access
road
and
the
lack
of
significant
development.

Pictures: Gwanda Solar Project...10 Years Later...US$5 Million Spent
[Image
Credit:
CITE]

Legal
Battles
and
Contract
Delays

ZESA
Holdings
Legal
Advisor
Tungamirai
Chinhengo
explained
the
absence
of
Intratrek
Zimbabwe
Pvt
Ltd,
the
contractor
led
by
Chivayo.
He
said:

“The
contract
remains
valid
following
the
2023
Supreme
Court
judgement,
but
the
contractor
cannot
mobilise
until
certain
conditions
are
met.”

Chinhengo
added
that
Intratrek
mobilised
in
2016
for
preliminary
work
but
was
forced
to
demobilise
when
the
contract
was
terminated
in
2018.
He
explained:

“The
termination
occurred
because
the
conditions
precedent
were
not
met.
A
protracted
legal
battle
followed,
resolved
by
the
Supreme
Court
in
December
2023.”

Pictures: Gwanda Solar Project...10 Years Later...US$5 Million Spent
[Image
Credit:
CITE]

Millions
Spent,
Little
to
Show

ZPC
Acting
Project
Technical
Director
Forbes
Chanakira
disclosed
that
ZPC
advanced
US$5.7
million
to
Intratrek.
He
provided
a
breakdown:

“US$2.1
million
went
to
the
feasibility
study,
US$2.8
million
to
pre-commencement
costs,
and
the
remainder
for
VAT.”

Chanakira
confirmed
that
ground
clearance
and
other
preliminary
work
had
been
done
in
2016
but
said
vegetation
had
reclaimed
the
site:

“The
area
was
a
massive
bush,
and
many
large
trees
were
removed.
Since
the
project
stalled,
shrubs
have
grown
back,
necessitating
another
round
of
clearing.”

Chanakira
also
revealed
that
critical
infrastructure,
such
as
a
33
KV
power
line
essential
to
the
project,
has
yet
to
be
constructed:

“The
contractor
received
a
quotation
from
ZETDC,
but
the
work
has
not
started.
Communication
infrastructure
is
also
pending.”

Despite
the
lack
of
visible
progress,
Chanakira
maintained
that
the
feasibility
studies
confirmed
the
viability
of
a
100
MW
solar
power
plant
on
the
site.

Source:


PICTURES:
Gwanda
Solar
Project..10
Years
Later..US$5
Million
Spent

Post
published
in:

Business

From fat tax to betting tax: Mthuli Ncube plans to tax his way to growth 

HARARE

Finance
minister
Mthuli
Ncube
on
Thursday
announced
a
fast
food
fat
tax,
a
raid
on
income
from
betting
and
new
measures
to
tax
small
companies
as
the
cash-strapped
government
turned
to
even
more
creative
ways
to
boost
revenues.

Punters
will
see
10
percent
of
their
winning
bets
withheld
as
tax,
Ncube
told
MPs
in
the
National
Assembly
while
presenting
the
2025
national
budget
statement.

“Honourable
Members
would
be
aware
that
betting
is
popular
in
nature,
as
indicated
by
the
proliferation
of
sports
betting
houses
countrywide,”
Ncube
said.

“Sports
betting
punters
receive
income
from
winnings,
which
is
currently
not
taxable
under
personal
income
tax.
To
include
punters
in
the
tax
base,
I
propose
to
introduce
a
10
percent
withholding
tax
on
gross
winnings
of
sports
betting
punters,
with
effect
from
January
1,
2025.”


Ncube
announced
a
reduction
to
his
special
surtax
on
beverages’
sugar
content
announced
in
February,
but
announced
new
taxes
on
fast
foods
to
promote
healthy
living.

He
told
MPs:
“The
government,
in
February
2024,
introduced
a
special
surtax
of
US$0.001/g
on
added
sugar
contained
in
specified
beverages.
The
tax
is
applied
uniformly
on
both
ready
to
drink
and
cordials
or
concentrated
beverages.

“Representations
from
manufacturers
indicate
that
cordials,
due
to
their
concentrated
nature,
have
a
higher
sugar
content,
hence,
attract
a
higher
effective
tax
as
compared
to
ready-to-drink
beverages.
Common
practice,
however,
requires
that
the
tax
be
based
on
the
sugar
content
of
the
diluted
product.

“In
order
to
create
a
level
playing
field
between
ready-to-drink
and
cordials,
I
propose
to
review
the
Special
Surtax
on
Beverages’
Sugar
Content
on
cordials
from
US$0.001/g
to
US$0.0005/g,
with
effect
from
January
1,
2025.”

Ncube
said
“highly
processed
food
has
been
identified
as
one
of
the
factors
responsible
for
the
prevalence
of
obesity
and
associated
non-communicable
diseases,
hence,
the
need
for
government
to
promote
responsible
consumption
of
such
foods.”

A
fast
foods
tax
of
0.5
percent
on
the
sales
value
will
come
into
effect
from
January.
The
tax
will
be
imposed
on
sales
of
pizza;
burgers
and
hot
dogs;
shawarma;
French
fries;
chicken;
doughnuts
and
similar
products;
and
tacos.

“It
is
envisaged
that
the
proposed
tax
will
go
a
long
way
in
encouraging
operators
to
adopt
culinary
that
promote
healthy
eating,”
Ncube
said.

The
finance
minister
is
also
squeezing
the
informal
sector
to
contribute
taxes

from
small
grocery
shops,
hardware
operators
to
boutiques.

He
said:
“A
survey
into
the
operations
of
selected
enterprises
from
the
emerging
sector
shows
that
a
number
of
operators
are
engaged
in
significant
economic
activities,
hence,
qualify
to
contribute
to
the
fiscus
through
personal
and
corporate
income
taxes,
as
opposed
to
presumptive
tax.

“Notwithstanding
that
the
beneficial
owners
or
directors
of
such
companies
can
maintain
books
of
accounts,
operators
deliberately
conceal
records
from
the
tax
administrator,
under
the
pretext
that
such
operators
do
not
have
capacity
to
keep
records,
which
is
tantamount
to
tax
avoidance
and
evasion.”

He
said
he
would
be
prescribing
for
mandatory
registration
for
corporate
and
personal
income
tax
fabric
merchandisers;
clothing
merchandisers/boutiques;
spare
parts
dealers;
car
dealers;
grocery
and
kitchenware
merchandisers;
hardware
operators
and
lodges.

“I
propose
that
the
above-mentioned
operators
be
mandated
to
regularise
registration
of
their
operations
with
the
Zimbabwe
Revenue
Authority,
transact
through
point-of-sale
machines
and
maintain
records
of
all
transactions
by
January
1,
2025.”

Ncube
said
he
would
empower
ZIMRA
to
temporarily
close
businesses
which
fail
to
adhere
to
the
requirements
including
failure
to
register
for
tax
purposes
until
such
registration
and
payment
of
applicable
taxes
are
completed.

Small
businesses
failing
to
comply
will
be
compelled
to
pay
corporate
tax
of
between
US$9,000
up
to
US$15,000
per
quarter
in
the
case
of
hardware
stores.

Individuals
who
converted
residential
properties
to
business
properties
will
now
be
subject
to
rental
income
tax
at
a
rate
of
25
percent,
he
said.
Any
company
or
organisation
using
rented
premises
will
be
compelled
to
disclose
to
ZIMRA
the
rental
expense,
the
location
and
owner
of
the
property
for
purposes
of
rental
income
tax.

Proposing
a
freeze
on
government
recruitment,
Ncube
said
the
2025
allocation
for
employment
costs
of
ZiG
152.6
billion
or
56.4
percent
of
revenue
was
now
above
the
fiscal
rule
threshold
of
containing
employment
costs
at
maximum
of
50
percent
of
revenue.

“To
address
this
unsustainable
position,
revenue
enhancement
measures
will
be
implemented,
whilst
also
limiting
the
recruitment
of
additional
personnel
only
to
critical
sectors
such
as
health
and
education.
The
rationalisation
exercise
will
also
benefit
from
the
recent
Job
Evaluation
Exercise,
which
was
undertaken
by
the
Public
Service
Commission,
with
the
aim
to
have
a
fit
for
purpose
and
professional
civil
service,
with
the
capacity
to
deliver
quality
public
services,”
he
said.

In
rare
good
news,
Ncube
said
he
was
revising
the
tax
bands
following
a
recent
devaluation
of
the
ZiG
“to
provide
relief
to
taxpayers.”

The
new
tax-free
threshold
is
ZiG
2,800
per
month.
Employees
earning
between
ZiG
2,801
and
ZiG
8,400
will
pay
20
percent
tax
on
income,
rising
to
40
percent
for
workers
earning
more
than
ZiG
84,000.

The
finance
minister
said
revenues
during
2025
are
expected
to
top
US$7.5
billion
against
expenditures
of
US$7.7
billion.

He
expects
Zimbabwe’s
economy
to
grow
by
6
percent
in
2024,
from
2
percent
this
year.

Economist
Tinashe
Murapata
poured
cold
water
on
Ncube’s
growth
projects.

“He
argues
that
Zimbabwe
will
be
one
of
the
fastest
growing
economies
in
the
world
and
yet
at
the
same
time
introduces
hefty
consumer
taxes,”
Murapata
said.

Confusion reigns as Friday Zimbabwe Exemption Permit deadline looms

ZEP
holders
say
it
will
be
impossible
to
meet
the
deadline
while
application
backlogs
at
Home
Affairs
persist.

Without
a
one-year
exemption,
visa
or
waiver,
many
of
those
who
have
been
living
and
paying
tax
in
SA
for
more
than
15
years
are
at
risk
of
deportation.
Image:
AdobeStock

Zimbabwe
Exemption
Permit
(ZEP)
holders
say
it
will
be
impossible
for
them
to
meet
the
Friday
deadline
to
apply
for
a
further
one-year
exemption
because
of
backlogs
at
the
Department
of
Home
Affairs
(DHA).

ZEP
holders
have
until
Friday
(29
November)
to
apply
for
a
one-year
exemption
that
would
allow
them
to
stay
and
work
in
SA
until
November
2025.
After
this
date,
those
without
the
required
visa
or
waiver
are
theoretically
at
risk
of
deportation.

But
the
Friday
deadline
cannot
be
met,
says
the
ZEP
Holders
Association
(Zepha),
because
there
is
a
backlog
of
several
months
for
general
worker
visa
and
waiver
applications.

Zepha
expects
Minister
of
Home
Affairs
Leon
Schreiber
to
extend
the
deadline,
as
was
done
by
his
predecessor
Aaron
Motsoaledi
in
2023.


‘Self-created
crisis’
for
Home
Affairs

“The
November
2024
deadline
for
the
ZEP
is
yet
another
self-created
crisis
for
the
Department
of
Home
Affairs,”
says
Advocate
Simba
Chitando,
who
is
representing
Zepha.
“Many
ZEP
holders,
for
the
same
bureaucratic
constraints
within
the
Department
that
have
haunted
government,
will
not
be
able
to
make
the
deadline
for
no
fault
of
their
own.”

Many
ZEP
holders
have
been
unable
to
get
appointments
at
VFS
Global
offices,
where
permit
applications
are
handled
on
behalf
of
DHA.

“Last
week
the
minister
admitted
that
some
of
their
systems
are
overwhelmed.

“I’ve
no
doubt
that
he
will
have
no
choice
but
to
extend
the
deadline
yet
again
to
avoid
a
catastrophic
failure
to
document
ZEP
holders,”
adds
Chitando.

“In
my
view,
the
ZEP
crisis
could
have
been
avoided
years
ago
if
the
government
had
not
made
the
decisions
that
the
courts
have
found
to
be
unlawful,
and
instead
allowed
ZEP
holders
to
apply
for
permanent
residence
in
the
country
after
living
in
South
Africa
lawfully
for
the
prescribed
time
to
qualify
for
residency
in
the
Republic.”


Years
of
uncertainty 

Some
178
000
ZEP
holders
in
SA
have
faced
an
uncertain
future
in
SA
for
years.

The
previous
permit
expiry
date
in
November
2023
was
extended
for
another
two
years
under
the
condition
that
Zimbabwean
and
Lesotho
exemption
permit
holders
could
not
thereafter
apply
for
permanent
residence
in
SA.

This
is
currently
being
challenged
in
court,
with
ZEP
holders

many
of
them
living
and
paying
tax
in
SA
for
more
than
15
years

claiming
the
minister
has
the
authority
to
grant
them
permanent
residence.

While
the
two-year
extension
in
2023
gave
ZEP
holders
some
breathing
space,
it
did
not
remove
the
uncertainty
of
their
legal
status
in
SA,
or
that
of
their
families.
ZEP
holders
were
instructed
to
apply
for
alternative
visas,
such
as
a
general
worker
visa,
to
cement
their
legal
status
in
the
country.

“Unfortunately,
it
seems
this
deadline
causes
headaches
for
many
as
they
struggle
to
secure
submission
dates
at
offices
of
VFS
Global
[which
handles
visa
and
waiver
applications
for
DHA],”
says
Xpatweb,
which
provides
services
to
expatriates.


New
systems

Schreiber
launched
a
new
system
to
issue
visas
digitally
via
email,
which
helped
in
the
processing
of
more
than
60
000
ZEP
waiver
applications,
many
of
them
dating
back
to
2022.
ZEP
holders
now
receive
waiver
letters
via
email,
a
system
that
is
being
extended
to
other
visa
applicants.

Marisa
Jacobs,
MD
of
Xpatweb,
says
ZEP
holders
who
applied
and
received
waivers
can
then
submit
their
applications
for
general
work
visas.

In
October,
the
DHA
introduced
a
new
points-based
system
for
work
visas
to
combat
corruption
and
inefficiency
and
reduce
red
tape.

The
use
of
a
transparent
points
scale
allows
DHA
to
objectively
determine
who
qualifies
for
a
critical
skills
or
general
work
visa.


Home
Affairs
clean-up

Schreiber
has
been
commended
for
starting
to
clean
house
at
DHA,
recently
dismissing
18
officials
across
the
country
for
a
range
of
offences
including
fraud,
corruption,
and
sexual
harassment.
A
further
four
were
given
written
warnings.

The
offences
include
irregular
processing
and
granting
of
ID
documents,
marriage
certificates,
passports
and
visas.

“The
dismissal
and
disciplining
of
errant
officials
[is]
the
result
of
the
further
intensification
of
our
clampdown
on
corruption,
fraud
and
maladministration,
and
reflects
the
intensification
of
cooperation
between
Home
Affairs,
the
Special
Investigating
Unit,
and
the
Hawks,”
said
Schreiber.

“Where
prosecutable
offences
have
been
committed,
the
dockets
will
be
referred
for
criminal
prosecution.”

Zimbabwe court frees opposition leader on suspended sentence after 5 months in detention


HARARE,
Zimbabwe
(AP)

A
Zimbabwean
court
freed
an
opposition
leader
and
34
activists
Wednesday
after
sentencing
them
to
suspended
prison
terms
for
participating
in
what
authorities
termed
an
unlawful
gathering.

Magistrate
Collet
Ncube
sentenced
Jameson
Timba,
interim
leader
of
a
faction
of
the
splintered
Citizens
Coalition
for
Change
party,
to
a
suspended
two-year
prison
term
after
he
and
the
activists
had
been
held
for
more
than
five
months
in
custody.
The
activists
received
lesser
prison
terms,
also
wholly
suspended.

The
magistrate
convicted
Timba
and
the
activists
last
week.
He
acquitted
30
others
who
had
been
detained
alongside
Timba.

Police
arrested
them
at
Timba’s
residence
in
the
capital,
Harare,
and
charged
them
with
disorderly
conduct
and
participating
in
a
gathering
with
the
intent
to
promote
violence,
breaches
of
peace
or
bigotry.
The
court
acquitted
them
of
the
disorderly
conduct
charges
in
September.

Their
lawyers
said
they
were
at
the
house
for
a
barbecue
to
commemorate
the
Day
of
the
African
Child,
a
calendar
event
of
the
African
Union.

Amnesty
International
described
the
detention
as
“part
of
a
disturbing
pattern
of
repression”
by
Zimbabwean
authorities
under
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
and
called
for
an
investigation
into
allegations
that
some
of
the
activists
were
tortured
while
in
police
detention.

Mnangagwa’s
ruling
ZANU-PF
party
has
long
been
accused
of
using
the
police
and
courts
to
quash
opposition,
including
under
the
autocratic
former
President
Robert
Mugabe,
who
ruled
for
37
years
before
Mnangagwa
replaced
him
in
a
coup
in
2017.

Post
published
in:

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Time to accelerate Zimbabwe’s $21 billion public debt and arrears resolution process, say stakeholders

After
nearly
two
years
of
dialogue
with
development
partners,
Zimbabwe
says
it
is
ready
to
accelerate
the
arrears
clearance
and
debt
resolution
process
by
working
with
the
International
Monetary
Fund
for
a
staff
monitored
programme
(SMP)
to
start
in
January
2025.

The
IMF’s
programme
falls
under
the
economic
reforms
Zimbabwe
is
undertaking
as
part
of
the
process
to
clear
its
$21
billion
public
debt
and
arrears.

Addressing
the
6th Structural
Dialogue
of
the
process
hosted
by
the
Zimbabwe
government
in
the
capital
Harare,
President
Dr
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
expressed
support
for
the
IMF
programme
and
called
for
financial
intervention
to
protect
vulnerable
groups
of
the
population
that
will
be
negatively
affected.

“In
this
regard,
the
protection
of
the
vulnerable
groups,
through
effective
social
protection
programmes
is
of
critical
importance
to
my
government,”
President
Mnangagwa
told
creditors,
development
partners,
private
sector
players,
civil
society
organisations
and
farmers’
organisations
at
Monday’s
high-level
dialogue.

The
President
and
Chairman
of
the
Boards
of
Directors
of
the
African
Development
Bank
Dr
Akinwumi
Adesina
termed
the
IMF
programme
“a
significant
milestone
towards
concretizing
the
arrears
clearance
and
debt
resolution.”

“I
would
like
to
urge
here
that
our
collective
efforts
will
be
critical
to
ensure
that
this
is
a
wet-SMP
(a
supported
staff
monitored
programme)
that
will
provide
fiscal
space
for
the
country
to
implement
needed
reforms
and
protect
the
vulnerable
populations,”
said
Adesina,
the
Champion
of
the
process.

President
of
the
African
Development
Bank
Group,
Dr.
Akinwumi
Adesina
addressing
a
High-level
Structured
Dialogue
Platform
meeting
on
Zimbabwe’s
arrears
clearance
and
debt
resolution
process,
in
Harare,
Zimbabwe,
November
25,
2024

Working
groups
formed
under
the
dialogue
process
to
oversee
reforms
across
the
three
sectors
of
Economic
Growth
and
Stability
Reforms,
Governance,
Land
Tenure
and
Compensation,
presented
their
updates.

Praising
what
he
described
as
“an
inclusive
and
transparent
consultative
process”,
President Mnangagwa
outlined
a
series
of
fiscal,
governance
and
legislative
reforms
that
the
government
has
embarked
upon
to
improve
macroeconomics
stability,
and
government
efficiency
and
accountability.

The
reforms
include
the
launch
of
a
new
local
currency,
a
more
flexible
and
transparent
foreign
exchange
market,
and
the
introduction
of
new
parliamentary
bills
to
strengthen
the
fight
against
corruption.

Others
are
the
far-reaching
land
tenure
reforms
to
promote
investor
confidence,
and
a
$35
million
compensation
package
for
more
than
400
farmers
affected
by
a
land
redistribution
program
in
the
1990s.
In
addition,
all
land
held
by
beneficiaries
of
99-year
leases
and
offer
letters
under
the
land
reform
program
will
now
be
covered
by
bankable
and
transferable
documents
of
tenure
to
be
issued
by
government.

Reflecting
on
the
two-year
journey,
Adesina
said,
“We
have
made
more
progress
in
two
years
than
all
the
prior
21
years
since
the
sanctions
were
imposed.
The
high-level
structured
dialogue
is
the
only
way,
there
is
no
other
way.”

The
Bank
Group
president
called
for
a
new
lease
of
life
for
Zimbabwe
and
its
people:
“It
is
clearly
time
to
bring
this
to
a
close,
end
the
decades
of
untold
damage
to
the
economy
of
Zimbabwe,
the
suffering
of
its
people,
and
have
a
new
beginning
with
collective
hope,
aspiration
and
shared
prosperity,
for
its
people,
today
and
well
into
the
future,”
Adesina
declared.

He
pointed
out
that
23
years
of
sanctions
had
“left
Zimbabwe
with
a
pile
of
debt
which
has
risen
to
$21
billion

$13
billion
for
external
debt
and
$8
billion
of
domestic
debt.
Even
wars
never
last
this
long.”

“We
all
agree
we
must
play
our
part
to
correct
this
anomaly
and
give
a
new
lease
of
life
to
this
nation
and
its
people,
so
Zimbabwe
can
run
again,”
Adesina
stressed.
“Run,
to
build
first
rate
schools.
Run,
to
build
infrastructure,
from
transport
corridors,
railways
and
power
transmission
lines
that
will
integrate
the
SADC
region
and
boost
economic
growth
and
jobs.”

Speaking
by
video
message,
the
high-level
facilitator
of
the
resolution
process,
former
President
of
Mozambique,
Joaquim
Chissano,
urged
the
international
community
to
do
more
to
support
the
government
of
Zimbabwe
with
the
financial
and
technical
resources
required
to
implement
the
ongoing
reforms.

Chissano
and
President
Mnangagwa
praised
Adesina
for
his
role
as
the
Champion
of
the
process
and
also
thanked
the
African
Development
Bank
for
providing $4.2
million
to
facilitate
and
support
the
structured
dialogue.
The
Bank
is
also
financing technical
and
legal
advisors
to
help
develop
a
comprehensive
roadmap
for
the
debt
resolution
process.

President
of
Zimbabwe,
Dr
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
(center),
flanked
by
the
President
of
the
African
Development
Bank
Group,
Dr.
Akinwumi
Adesina
(second
left),
and
Zimbabwe’s
Minister
of
Finance,
Economic
Development
and
Investment
Promotion,
Prof
Mthuli
Ncube
(second
right)
at
a
High-level
Structured
Dialogue
Platform
meeting
in
Harare,
Zimbabwe,
November
25,
2024

Adesina
said
the
Bank’s
Board
of
Directors
will
consider
continued
support
for
the
process.
In
addition,
the
Bank
will
set
aside
funding
in
the
next
replenishment
cycle
for
its
concessional
financing
arm,
the
African
Development
Fund,
for
clearing
Zimbabwe’s
arrears,
similar
to
what
the
Bank
did
for
Sudan
and
Somalia.

Bolstering
his
argument
for
a
sanctions-free
Zimbabwe,
Adesina
highlighted
its
geostrategic
importance
to
Southern
Africa,
as
well
as
the
abundant
mineral
and
metal
deposits
that
make
it
critical
to
the
global
energy
transition.
He
emphasized,
“Zimbabwe
is
too
critical
for
the
world
to
ignore.”

Source:


Speech
delivered
by
Dr.
Akinwumi
A.
Adesina
President
and
Chairman,
African
Development
Bank
Group

High-level
Structured
Dialogue
Platform
Meeting
on
Arrears
Clearance
and
Debt
Resolution
for
Zimbabwe

|
African
Development
Bank
Group

Zimbabwe Vigil Diary 23rd November 2024



https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/54166022143/sizes/m/

They
carried
placards
expressing
their
dissatisfaction
with
ZANU
PF,
Zimbabwe’s
ruling
regime. 
Photos:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/albums/72177720322179677/
.

For
Vigil
pictures
check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
Please
note:
Vigil
photos
can
only
be
downloaded
from
our
Flickr
website.


 


Events
and
Notices:


  • Next
    Vigil
    meeting
    outside
    the
    Zimbabwe
    Embassy. 
    Saturday
    7th December
    from
    2

    5
    pm.
    We
    meet
    on
    the
    first
    and
    third
    Saturdays
    of
    every
    month.
    On
    other
    Saturdays
    the
    virtual
    Vigil
    will
    run.

  • The
    Restoration
    of
    Human
    Rights
    in
    Zimbabwe
    (ROHR)
     is
    the
    Vigil’s
    partner
    organisation
    based
    in
    Zimbabwe.
    ROHR
    grew
    out
    of
    the
    need
    for
    the
    Vigil
    to
    have
    an
    organisation
    on
    the
    ground
    in
    Zimbabwe
    which
    reflected
    the
    Vigil’s
    mission
    statement
    in
    a
    practical
    way.
    ROHR
    in
    the
    UK
    actively
    fundraises
    through
    membership
    subscriptions,
    events,
    sales
    etc
    to
    support
    the
    activities
    of
    ROHR
    in
    Zimbabwe.

  • The
    Vigil’s
    book
    ‘Zimbabwe
    Emergency’
     is
    based
    on
    our
    weekly
    diaries.
    It
    records
    how
    events
    in
    Zimbabwe
    have
    unfolded
    as
    seen
    by
    the
    diaspora
    in
    the
    UK.
    It
    chronicles
    the
    economic
    disintegration,
    violence,
    growing
    oppression
    and
    political
    manoeuvring

    and
    the
    tragic
    human
    cost
    involved. It
    is
    available
    at
    the
    Vigil.
    All
    proceeds
    go
    to
    the
    Vigil
    and
    our
    sister
    organisation
    the
    Restoration
    of
    Human
    Rights
    in
    Zimbabwe’s
    work
    in
    Zimbabwe.
    The
    book
    is
    also
    available
    from
    Amazon.

  • Facebook
    pages:
                 

Vigil : https ://www.facebook.com/zimbabwevigil

ROHR: https://www.facebook.com/Restoration-of-Human-Rights-ROHR-Zimbabwe-International-370825706588551/

ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515

The
Vigil,
outside
the
Zimbabwe
Embassy,
429
Strand,
London
meets
regularly
on
Saturdays
from
14.00
to
17.00
to
protest
against
gross
violations
of
human
rights
in
Zimbabwe.
The
Vigil
which started
in
October
2002
will
continue
until
internationally-monitored,
free
and
fair
elections
are
held
in
Zimbabwe.

Post
published
in:

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