Zimbabwe's ports of entry have been thrust into a crisis after the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) workers went on strike to press for a 5 700 percent salary increase.

Thousands of travellers and truck drivers were stranded at the country's border posts Wednesday and Thursday. This followed the nationwide strike by the workforce of the parastatal who is responsible for organising government funds from the country's corporate companies, through taxes. The revenue authority also collects duties and taxes on imported goods at border posts.

The industrial action reportedly started at the Beitbridge border post, at midnight Tuesday before spreading to Chirundu, Nyamapanda and other borders. The development has caused serious problems among travellers seeking to clear their goods. The Beitbridge post, bordering Zimbabwe and South Africa, clears many vehicles and goods daily.

At Plumtree Border Post, business was reportedly at a virtual standstill while long queues were the order of the day at Forbes border post in Mutare. Traders importing food and other basic commodities that are scarce on the parched Zimbabwean market dominate most of the business at the country's ports. Shelves have gone empty in Zimbabwe in the past three months due to Robert Mugabe's economic mismanagement through wage freezes and price slashes. Observers see Mugabe's policies as the root cause of Zimbabweans' desperate search for basic goods beyond borders, hence the escalating numbers of people trying to import food and other essential commodities.

Reports suggest the work stoppage cost ZIMRA at least Z$1 trillion in revenue alone on the first day of the strike, besides inconveniencing thousands of cross-border travellers battling to clear imports into the country.

One worker who refused to be named said ZIMRA management had offered a 400 percent increment to be implemented this month but the workers spurned the offer.

He said: "The 400 percent increment would have taken the salary of a revenue officer to only Z$10 million at a time the poverty datum line is estimated at over Z$15 million. We said that was too little."

ZIMRA's non-managerial employees workers, estimated at over 2 000, have downed tools at a time when government has imposed a blanket freeze on salary adjustments to rein in the world's highest inflation that is topping 7 600 percent.

Reports suggest that it is the disruption in Harare that will be a big blow to revenue collection as about 85 percent of ZIMRA's revenue comes from the capital, through corporate tax payments as well as Value Added Tax.

Cross border trader Mathius Zimuto urged the government to address the ZIMRA crisis with urgency.

Zimuto said: "At the Beitbridge Border Post there were long winding queues of both motor and human traffic throughout the day. At the ZIMRA scanner shed, there was only one officer who was attending to trucks awaiting a scanner checkup, while the entry and exit counters were manned by one senior officer.

"Officers could be seen moving leisurely around the customs hall, while queues were the order of the day. All counters had been deserted, save for a senior ZIMRA officer who was manning both entry and exit sides," said Zimuto, whose consignments of goods were stuck on the South African side of the border.