By Liz Dlodlo
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) is with immediate effect automating the issuance of Customs Clearance Certificates (CCCs) for all imported motor vehicles.
According to ZIMRA, the new system applies to both new and second-hand motor vehicles.
With the country’s automobile manufacturing industry not functioning to capacity currently, many Zimbabweans have to import second hand vehicles from Asia, Europe, and South Africa.
This is done mostly through, Beitbridge, Plumtree, Kazungula, Chirundu, Victoria Falls and Forbes border post and Robert Gabriel Mugabe international Airport.
In a public notice on Thursday, the authority said the development was part of the new normal way of doing business.
“This new development is meant to improve the turnaround time for the clearance of motor vehicles at Ports of Entry and to plug out revenue leakages by removing manual capturing of Customs Clearance Certificates.
“ZIMRA, therefore, advises all importers who intend to import new or second-hand motor vehicles into the country to have the engine number, chassis number, make and model, and year of manufacture for the motor the vehicle being imported and supporting documents including invoices and bills of lading before submitting their declaration to us,” said Zimra.
It said the information on engine numbers, chassis numbers, make and model, and year of manufacture was required on the bills of entry to generate CCC automatically from their customs system.
Since the beginning of the covid-19 lockdown in the country, Zimra has gradually been moving to hi-tech systems to minimize human interface between its officers and clients.
On Sunday, the organisation started rolling out a pre-clearance system on all goods and motor vehicles being imported into the country road.
The process includes carrying out customs declarations, import duty assessments, and duty payments for the goods before they reach the Port of Entry.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, most processes were done manually at the borders.
