eBusiness Weekly
Thupeyo Muleya
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra)’s Documented Processing Centres (DPC), has been hit by technical challenges that have resulted in cargo piling up mainly at Chirundu, Forbes and Beitbridge Border Posts, it has been learnt.
Under the current set up, all commercial bill of entries are being processed electronically and these are done at Harare, Masvingo and Bulawayo DPC.
When these bills of entries are processed the trucks are then given the green-light to the port of entry or exit where authorities only check for conformity.
The Business Weekly understands that the closure of the Bulawayo office recently due to the detection of a Covid-19 case, has seen the Authority battling to clear a backlog of bills of entries.
The developments have seen haulage trucks leaving or entering the country spending more than three days for passage.
Under normal circumstances, 600 haulage trucks use the Beitbridge Border Post with 300 going either side, but that has increased to nearly 1000 a day.
Zimra had, however, not responded to the issue of delays in the movement of cargo by the time of going to print.
However, it has been established that the situation has been exacerbated by an influx of trucks passing through Zimbabwe after other traditional transit routes which go through Botswana and Mozambique were closed by the respective Governments.
Zimbabwe’s economy has been opened under the lockdown Stage 2 which is primed to facilitate regional and international trade.
Most countries using Zimbabwe as a transit trade route include; Malawi, Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique and Democratic People’s Republic of Congo.
Long queues have become common especially on South bound traffic, with haulage trucks filling most roads in the CBD.
According to the Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association (SFAAZ), the delay in movement of cargo was a cause for concern and it says some transporters and importers were incurring demurrages in the absence of official communication from Zimra.
SFAAZ chief executive officer, Joseph Musariri, said they were engaging the revenue authority over the issue.
“The entries are now taking more than three days to be processed as compared to the standard turnaround time,” he said.
“However, we have engaged Zimra over the issue and they told us about the temporary closure of their Bulawayo office due to coronavirus, but they have assured us that the office has been re-opened.
“In addition, over the weekend, the Harare DPC was closed for 14 hours for fumigation and we hope things will improve.
“With respect to Chirundu, the border post will be operating for 24 hours starting from Sunday, to clear traffic. The other problem there is that there is limited parking space for trucks on the Zambian side”.
He said more trucks were now using mainly Chirundu and Beitbridge where Covid-19 screening was standard in comparison to other borders where drivers are being quarantined for specified periods, thereby slowing the movement of essential transit cargo.
The official said Zimbabwe should make the best of the influx of transit trucks, which have reverted to its routes and derive maximum benefits.
Musariri said some truck drivers now avoid truck parks because of Covid-19 guidelines and now prefer to remain in queues while customs documents are being processed.
“Though we understand the explanation from Zimra, we are saying they should make the communication in black and white so that we communicate with our clients to minimise issues of demurrage costs.
“The other issue we have noted at Beitbridge Border Post is little space for both South and North-bound lorries to travellers.
“So our proposal is that the South-bound traffic use the Alfred Beitbridge (Old Limpopo) whole north bound use the New Limpopo Bridge and all still pay toll fees to the Zimbabwe national roads agency (Zinara). This will then ease congestions,” he said.
Musariri said arrangements had been made in Zambia for transit trucks with essential commercial cargo to get an express route to avoid clogging the border.
An estimated 100 000 trucks pass through Beitbridge Border Post annually in transit to other Sadc countries.
