Zimbabwe: Revenue Authority pockets duty and confiscates "luxury" newspapers

Distributors demand release of newspapers while Zimra pockets duty

HARARE – The seizing of foreign newspapers, including The Zimbabwean, the Economist, and the Weekly Telegraph, just before the run-off election on June 27 on instructions from the military junta has cost the National Association of Independent Newspaper Distributors eye-watering trillions in hard currency.

The battle by the distributors to get the newspapers released, or to get the duty paid in forex refunded, continues. On July 10 Customs released the documents for The Zimbabwean newspaper consignment of issue 24, June 19,
2008 - three weeks from the day we paid customs duty of more than SAR42,000 in foreign currency to satisfy the requirements of the punitive laws.

Earlier this week, the National Handling Services, in whose warehouse customs hold consignments, demanded storage charges amounting to Z$10 trillion. Munn Marketing has not sought release of their consignments but have now demanded their “duty” forex back. The Economist magazines have been released but two issues of the Weekly Telegraph and Sunday Times and other publications remain held by customs. “After stealing our money, depriving our readers of the information and depriving us of any revenue from the sale of our newspapers, they now want to further cripple us with the type of storage charges meant to push us out of business. Our vendors were routinely harassed during the run up to the election run-off of June 27. A number of them were subjected to beatings and intimidation. Those newspapers which managed to come through were not allowed to be freely distributed and sold.

This is illegal, cruel, vindictive and a desperate measure as well as being unashamed daylight robbery,” said the distributors in a statement this week.

“We strongly urge that this “luxury tax” be seen in the context of it being an illegal amendment to the amended AIPPA which goes against the agreed positions of the SA-brokered talks before the holding of the March 29 elections. It further illustrates how the Mugabe government cannot be trusted. Information as a basic right and freedom of expression as a right enshrined in country’s constitution should both not be denied to the people of Zimbabweans whether inside or outside the country,” says the statement.

The distributors urged the SA mediators to demand that such legislation be repealed as part of the initial demands for the talks, otherwise Zimbabwe government will be negotiating in seriously bad faith. The illegal duties levied from distributors under the pretext of this illegal “luxury tax” should be returned in full in the currency of payment and full compensation be granted for the loss of business.

They are urging MISA, ZLHR and other civic groups to take up this strong position.