Farirai Machivenyika — Senior Reporter
Shipping, forwarding agents and cross-border traders want the Government to streamline the regulations governing their operations at the borders,saying the numerous Statutory Instruments currently in place promote smuggling and misdeclarations.
Yesterday, the Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association of Zimbabwe (SFAAZ) and the Zimbabwe Cross Border Traders Association (ZCBTA) appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce where they outlined challenges they are facing.
SFAAZ chief executive Mr Washington Dube said it was imperative that Government harmonise the legislation.
"There is a proliferation of Statutory Instruments in Zimbabwe. The association recognises the need for SIs but we feel those statutory instruments gazetted can be streamlined. To put that into context, in 2022, 223 (around 19 a month) SIs were issued while in 2023, 249 SIs (around 21 a month) were issued. So far in 2024, 104 SIs (around 21 a month) have been issued.
"In terms of doing business, this makes it onerous to do business and promotes smuggling and misdeclarations," he said.
Mr Dube also said there were multiple Government agencies and departments at the country's borders ,which also increase the cost of doing business and delays in the movement of goods.
Zimbabwe had 25 agencies and departments at the borders while Zambia had six.
He called for stricter enforcement on border access to bona-fide travellers and licensed persons saying the presence of unlicensed persons and touts also fuelled smuggling.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"The SFAAZ has long proposed statutory regulation of the clearing and forwarding industry in order to improve on sanity and discipline in the industry and also for practitioners to improve in their professional conduct and reduce corruption," he said.
ZCBTA secretary general Mr Augustine Tawanda said the Government should also enact legislation for the informal economy as it employed the majority of citizens.
"Zimbabwe should learn best practices from countries like India who have passed Protection of Livelihoods and Street Vending Act which has adequate frameworks to support people centred development," he said.
Mr Tawanda said the current import and export procedures were costly for cross border traders which also encouraged smuggling.
"The association should be allowed to get bulk permits on behalf of its organised traders which would be kept by trade information desk officers at the borders. This will save traders money and time taken to apply for individual permits," Mr Tawanda said. He also bemoaned the domination of retail space by foreigners saying it was fuelling price manipulation and externalisation of funds and called for collaboration between Government and local authorities in developing trading spaces (vending stalls) as they have huge potential to generate revenues for Treasury and the municipalities.
