Cross-border traders decry “multiple searches”

SAMUEL NJINGA IN MASVINGO

Cross-border traders have raised alarm over what they describe as excessive and duplicated searches by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and law enforcement agents along the Beitbridge–Harare highway, warning that the practice is lengthening journeys, inflating costs, and exposing travellers to harassment.

The complaints are intensifying at a time when the highway has become the main artery for thousands of small-scale entrepreneurs who import goods from South Africa to fuel Zimbabwe’s informal economy.

Speaking to Business Times, Cross Borders for Economic Development chairperson David Masomere said many travellers are being subjected to multiple roadside inspections despite already enduring rigorous clearance at Beitbridge Border Post. He acknowledged the need for enforcement but argued that the current regime had become unnecessarily punitive.

“Once cargo has been thoroughly checked at Beitbridge, there is no need for further inland searches. A single, efficient inspection at the border should be enough to balance both enforcement and convenience,” Masomere said.

For years, traders have complained that inland checkpoints are disruptive and provide fertile ground for harassment and alleged corruption. Buses are often stopped several times before reaching Masvingo, with passengers forced to disembark as luggage is re-examined. Critics say this creates opportunities for rent-seeking, with some travellers alleging they have been asked for bribes to avoid delays.

ZIMRA has defended the practice, insisting that inland inspections are lawful and vital to its enforcement strategy. Officials argue that some smugglers misdeclare goods at the border or load extra cargo after clearance, making mobile checks essential to plug loopholes. In recent years, ZIMRA has made significant seizures at Beitbridge, including narcotics and contraband, reinforcing its stance that customs enforcement cannot be confined to border posts.

“Our officers are guided by the law, and these searches are not designed to inconvenience travellers but to protect national revenue and ensure compliance,” ZIMRA spokesperson Gladman Njanji told Business Times.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of ZIMRA’s strong revenue performance. In 2024, the authority collected ZWG107.12 billion in net tax revenue, surpassing its ZWG105.73 billion target. Gross collections reached ZWG110.50 billion, buoyed by stronger compliance in Value Added Tax, Pay As You Earn and customs duties. The first quarter of 2025 has also been positive, with US$1.506 billion collected — marginally above target. By mid-year, ZIMRA had already gathered US$3.21 billion against a target of US$3.13 billion, putting it on track to hit its full-year goal of around US$7.2 billion.

Sectoral performance, however, has revealed both strengths and vulnerabilities. VAT on local sales, PAYE, and customs duties performed strongly, while corporate tax and mining royalties underperformed. Mining remains the backbone of exports, accounting for nearly 70% of foreign currency earnings and about 14% of GDP, but royalties fell short in 2024. Agriculture, once a pillar of the economy, contracted sharply due to drought, with its GDP share falling below 9%.

Government has thrown its weight behind tighter enforcement. Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has repeatedly warned that smuggling is a major source of fiscal leakage undermining industrial growth and public health. Presenting the 2025 budget, Ncube said illicit trade was costing Zimbabwe millions in lost revenue and eroding formal retail markets. Treasury has responded by equipping ZIMRA with operational vehicles and digital tools such as the Tax and Revenue Management System and Fiscalisation Data Management System to boost efficiency and curb corruption.

Yet ZIMRA itself has struggled with integrity issues. Between 2016 and September 2024, more than 300 employees were suspended on disciplinary grounds, while others were investigated for unexplained wealth. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has also intervened after impostors posing as enforcement officers were caught extorting travellers at illegal roadblocks. Both agencies have urged the public to report bogus officials, with ZIMRA issuing fraud alerts to safeguard its reputation.

For traders, however, the key issue is not corruption alone but efficiency. They argue that trade facilitation is as critical as enforcement in sustaining economic activity. Multiple searches, they say, are strangling an already fragile economy and undermining Zimbabwe’s competitiveness, particularly as the African Continental Free Trade Area seeks to ease cross-border commerce.

Analysts believe a compromise is possible. A smarter, risk-based system could ensure goods are thoroughly checked once at Beitbridge, sealed with tamper-proof electronic devices, and digitally tracked to their final destination. Only flagged consignments would face additional checks. Clear identification for enforcement officers and transparent roadside protocols could also reduce harassment and restore trust.

For now, however, the Beitbridge–Harare highway remains a contested corridor — the lifeline of informal trade on one hand, and a frontline of state revenue protection on the other. ZIMRA’s record-breaking collections show the power of tighter controls, but unless efficiency improves, traders warn the route risks becoming a symbol of bureaucratic friction rather than a model of smart border management.